Expert: Catherine Ridenour - 10/21/2005

Question
My son, Sam, is 6 and has cerebral palsy.  He is in the process of being tested to find out which ASD he has. The school specialists think maybe he has PDD-NOS. We will know for sure when he sees the Developmental Specialist in December.

Sam's haircuts have always been very unpleasant experiences for everyone involved.  Especially Sam.  He appears to be genuinely terrified of them.  He's getting too big and strong for me to hold in my lap and restrain, and I'm at a loss as to what to do.  If it weren't for the school dress code I would just let it grow.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

Answer
Hi Kellie,

You must not live in the U.S. or he's in private school or  a very unusual district. Short hair is not mandatory in our school system.

Anyway, it's important to realize that his fear may be based on his experience of the haircut as painful.  Many people on the Autistic Spectrum have extreme sensitivity to having their hair combed/washed/cut.

The problem can be any or all of the following:
  The sound of the clippers and/or scissors
  The vibration of the clippers
  The pulling sensation on his hair
  The lights in the Barber Shop
  The barber (only seen every 6 weeks for an unpleasant experience)
  The funny looking chair that goes up and down
  Getting wrapped up in the cape thing
  All the big mirrors

For a child with sensory integration issues, this is a very overwhelming environment.

I don't know how verbal he is so I'm not sure he can tell you what he would like to change.  You could experiment with turning on clippers nearby when at home and see what the reaction is.  Same with scissors.  

I recommend going to the barber shop to NOT get a haircut several times before he actually needs one.  Take him in, look around and then leave.  Then go in, say "hi" to the barber.  Maybe the barber would be willing to give him a treat at this time.  Then, leave again.  Go back, sit in the chair but don't raise it or put on the cloak and so on.  Work up to it very slowly.  If his hair gets a bit long in the process, explain to the school that you are meeting his educational and developmental needs.

Any child can develop an irrational fear.  Children on spectrum tend to hang on to them longer.  Desensitizing him to the elements of the experience can help.  Just remember that it takes time and patience.  You may not succeed for quite some time in getting him to accept a haircut without some fuss.  As he gets older and can communicate better, he can help you figure it all out.

Here is a web site with links to many resources:

http://www.patientcenters.com/autism/news/resources.html

Best Wishes,
Catherine