First haircut! | Autism PDD

We've had three haircuts. All at a kids haircutting place, with videos, toys, cookies, etc.

The first cut and the most recent cut were both totally tragic. My wife and child in tears, me consoling wife AND child...

For some odd reason, haircut number two was totally uneventful. Go figure...

But we're seriously thinking of finding someone to come to our house to do it in the future. It can be an incredibly nerve-wracking experiece. I have no idea why the one time we had no problems and the other times I feared for the safety of the woman cutting our son's hair!
mark_dad38589.5321759259Yup. DS cries the whole time. My husband has him wrapped in his lap - while DS fights him the whole time. Hr doesn't care if we play with his hair at home- I think it's the strange environment. He was a little better last time he let he take 3 snips before crying- lol!

We've had three, the first two were totally fine, the last one, about 3-4 months ago was god-awful. Thinking back on it, we should have done it totally differently. We just plopped him in the seat and had this strange woman come at him with scissors while hubs and I held him down; not very sympathetic. Next time we'll ease him into the chair, have him talk to the hair cutting person, maybe look at the scissors (but not play with them!), play with the robe and the spray bottles for a little while. Hubs cut his bangs a few weeks ago and I could see the panic in his eyes (Jake, not my husband!) as the scissors came at him, which I can understand. Who wants to look up as these sharp metal things come towards your head? So we angled them differently and that made a difference.

My DS is 4.5 and his last barber shop visit was the first time he sat without me holding him down while he screamed and fussed. I just hope it continues!

I take him to the same barber shop and he has time to play and watch others before his turn. Our barber is a very patient and kind soul. He has put up with 3 yrs of ds screaming and crying and fighting him.

Good luck!

There's this place where I live called SportsClips, and it is like a sports bar type environment inside (but no bar!) It helps because there are TVs everywhere, and we go to a guy named Gary who has 4 kids. He is GREAT. We call and find out when they aren't busy, and he puts the tvs on kids stuff, and we struggle through. My boys are getting much better about it!

I'd forgotten the nightmare of haircuts as they are now non-events!! Didn't cut his hair til he was 3.

Mark_dad, we had someone come to the house but it would take 3 or 4 visits to finish the haircut.

2bsybys, I took to cutting his hair super short and then I'd only have to cut it twice a year.

I started going to KidsCuts places. I'd go in ahead of time--day before or earlier in the day--and meet and talk to the person. I went when there was no one or few people there. Not at 3:15 when school has let out. Or Saturday.

I had social story and Boardmaker cards. Oh, to make it worse the place had a huge Thomas the Train set!!!

I'd forgotten all of this. Whew. We lived through it! Isn't that cool that something so HUGE (which it was for years) is now forgotten by me. cool.

Have good hair days moms and dads!! and kids!!

Hopefully the more haircuts the better it will be. My Jeffery is 14 now and I remember when he was a toddler haircut time was a nightmare I think I cried

more than he did. We used to put him in his highchair, cover it with some towels and my hubby would cut his hair. Guess what? He loves to get his hair cut now

.
One time I had to hide the clippers because I think one day he tried to cut it himself

. My hubby keeps his head shaved (bald--he looks good)

and my oldest looks just like him. My youngest (8) well that's a different story

I've been there myself. I also helped another mum recently with the same issue.

We used a styling head (Barbie, Bratz whatever) with plastic scissors and played hairdressers for a week or two. Then we practiced on me using the towel and plastic scissors. Then I just practiced on him with the towel and touching his head. Then we used the plastic scissors.

We also found a mum who is a hairdresser and has a child with special needs. We went to her house where there was no perming solution smells, bright lights, music etc.

I stood by with lots of reinforcers, toys etc and changed them the minute he got restless. It was a success. No tears and he now happily gets his hair cut.

He has language so I know with some kids it is a lot harder but some of these techniques might help.

In my sons case I didn't know to do these things so I just used to hold him down and cut it myself praising him all the while. I found he preferred a towel to the nylon cape. He hated getting any hair on his face so I would hold his fringe away from his head to cut it so none fell on his face. The cut pieces would end up in my hand. His fringe wasn't very straight but he was a lot happier.

Now he is great at the hairdressers and in fact it didn't take many times to sort it out when he was little.

Good luck with your first cut and I am sure with all the great suggestions every one is posting that you will sort it out.

Hello all,

just having a great day; Nicky finally had his first haircut at 3 y.o.! In the past, he staunchly refused to have anybody (including us) touching his head.

With the help of an occupational therapist, we have been massaging him regularly for the past year or so, to help him get used to being touched. Well..I guessed it paid off. No crying, no fussing, just a happy little boy having his curly-cues removed. Funny thing is, with his long curly hair, people were telling me how beautiful my daughter was!

Anybody here is having the same problem?

my son hates to have his hair cut-he screams and jerks all over the place. so finally i just started to shave his head did not take as long and he still screams but he gets thru it. hopefully ot will help him also starting soon.CONGRATS ON THE HAIRCUT., There is my old post here somewhere on first haircuts b/c im a hairdresser and gave some tips on children and cuts..i will try n find it for everyone again and HAVE IT POSTED..

Thanks Cindie,

I'll look for it.

Jo.