How we solved the horror of a haircut.

   If you have a son with autism you are very familiar with the horrific experience of a haircut. By the time my son was 4 years old I felt like a haircut had given us both post traumatic stress syndrome and I can imagine some of the people who tried felt the same. Our last trip the salon was pure hell and we left with half a haircut and I was determined to turn this experience around. In order to do that I had to consider all the elements that were causing horror and take over myself. Here is what we did and keep in mind extreme patience, as always, was key to success.

1. Get your own clippers and hope the ones you get are as quiet as they make them. Noise is challenge number one so limit it as much as possible.

2. Without turning them on I let him play with them. I put them on the counter and let him handle them on his own. Clippers aren't an everyday household item, it's unfamiliar so make it familiar.

3. Plug them in and turn them on while your in the same room and let the sound process. We spent an hour doing this with him on the other side of the room and I did not attempt to use them on him. Processing the sound and knowing it's not a sound of terror is important.

4. Turn them on a again and do step 3 only this time encourage touch. If it's allowed and it might not be just yet, touch the clippers to a hand or leg. Knowing he could touch by choice and it didn't hurt was a big deal. Step 3 might have to be repeated until this happens, if it happens, and this step took another hour.

5. repeat step 3 and 4 only this time touch closer to the head. Shoulder or neck and if it's allowed a lot of praise because your both getting closer or maybe even success this time.

6. If you have reached step 5 and your on your way remember the hair that falls is itchy. We do this with his shirt off and when the hair hits his skin I blow it off quickly but he stands still and giggles each time I blow the hair off.

   This is a long process that worked for us and when he agrees there is no terror involved anymore. No, he doesn't get the worlds greatest haircut but he has walked out of a few salons before with did this with much worse. No fault of the people who tried! They did the best they could given the circumstances. Sensory processing disorder is just that, a challenge to process the senses so work in the favor of that instead of against it and you just might make it through. This process took days and no promise it works but you never know what will until you try.