HaircutsJ has panic attacks every time we walk by a salon. Fingernails used to be this way too, but are bearable now, so I have hopes that haircuts will eventually go the same way. Actually trying to get a haircut sends him into complete hyperventilation, kicking, screaming, and almost passing out mode. I have just been letting it grow out, but he is getting to the point of not being able to see, so we have to do something. His DR rx Valium, 2 mg, before a haircut. Anyone had any experience with this? We don't do a lot of meds, just Tenex at night, so I'm unsure what the effects are. Thanks! We would get my dh's hair cut first and let him watch and then he would sit in dh's or my lap while they cut his hair . We also did haircuts at home for awhile and just gave him a buzz cut twice a year and grew it out in between so we didn't have to deal with it as often. We just had his second hair cut where he wasn't trying to get away. We just do buzz cuts at home. DH runs the clippers while I hold Ravi and let him watch TV. As long we show the clippers to him first, he is usually okay with it. IT took a while to get to this point, though. HarrietHair cuts were a problem here for many years, but not quite to the same extent as you describe. Here is my collection of haircut related autism links http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=24123&am p;KW=hair Last time I took my son for a haircut, he cried so much he threw up. It was at that point we left with my son sporting something resembling a crooked mullet and me covered in a blend of vomit and hair.
I refused to try again, but my wife took him to a new place yesterday and it went great. It's a place that specializes with children. They put a TV with cartoons on right in front and have tonnes of toys, cookies, books, etc. My wife said he loved it! My wife even said our son does have some sensory issues and the complete disaster last time, and the hairdresser said "ok, I'll be quick around the ears since kids like that hate that".
It was pretty expensive for a kid's haircut ($17) but worth every penny to avoid being thrown up on in public.
The place is call Snip Its and it's a chain, so worth checking to see if one is in your area:
We have had similiar haircut experiences, although maybe not as severe as your son. My son is 5 1/2 now and does better, but still not great. He used to throw up. We tried social stories, watching others get haircut, visiting salon, cutting when asleep. We take him to a hairdressers house to get it cut- he loves her and her kids- she has a son on the spectrum. He still crys alot when getting his haircut, but doesnt vomit. He recovers quickly. We cut it short, so we can go longer between haircuts- i know this goes against behavior advice that would say to do small frequent trims, but I can only handle so much. It does seem to get better as he gets older, but we are a long way from going to a salon or barber shop. Haircuts used to be as traumatic as invasive surgery to our son. My Sister-in-law asked us to take him someplace else because she didn't want him to hate her any more. We take him to a local salon that is owned by a lady with 4 kids. She figured him out and after about 6 times, my wife didn't have to hold him anymore. He likes his haircut after he gets one, and he gets a big ice cream cone as a reward for being a good boy. He likes going ther now, and he behaves relly well. Nails, we still do when he is sleeping. He dropped something heavy on his big toe a few months ago and had to have a Doctor drill the nail to releve the pressure. He did not lose the nail, but it is purple. We are back to square one on this issue. I walked around with my bangs in my eyes as a little one. Luckily, being a girl, we just left the rest long. But for the bangs that needed to be cut every so often, my mom finally just started doing it at home. Is there any way you can do it at home? I have one that lives for haircuts (4 yo w/ PDD - says she's a princess when she's getting a haircut) and one who has to have the same person, same place every time (since his 2nd haircut at 18 mos and he's now 10) or he flips out. Our local support group actually has kid friendly people come in to give haircuts at their center once a month. They keep the lights low (as possible) and sounds to a minimum. Thank you so much for all the wonderful replies.We've run the gamut, from salon cuts, to after-hours cuts, to most recently (last 6-8 months) a VERY kind Cosmetologist who comes to our home and attempts to cut J's hair in a quiet environment, and even while he's sleeping. Unfortunately, even with melatonin, the first snip of the scissors brings him to full, anxiety-ridden consciousness. We've tried buzzing at home (the sound immediately induces a full-blown anxiety attack), trimming while watching TV (no), bathing (no), in a booster seat (BIG no), drowsy (no), and a few others.... He's watched all of us get haircuts, but to be honest, even entering an actual salon at this point is enough to make him hyperventilate. We're at the point where even our house-calling Cosmetologist is afraid to get the scissors out b/c she is worried he will thrash into them.... We don't have anxiety over ANY other issue, just this one  If he were a girl, I'd just let it grow out...and am pretty darn close to doing so anyway.... My son is a mess for haircuts, and it is one thing that has not improved over the years. I took him yesterday and he kicked and screamed when I put him in the chair (my child is very passive and not prone to tantrums). He cries and shakes, gets hair in his mouth ... he says that it hurts. I just get it buzzed every 2 months as deal with it. DS is also terrified, but some haircuts go better than others. I usually bring a portable DVD player with his favorite movie. The hairdresser is very patient and lets him hold the buzzer (with her hand guiding it) for a bit just so he feels like he is more in control. Starting a few days before, we also let him hold my husband's buzzer (with close supervision of course!) just to get familiarized with the sound again. He has a Sesame Street computer game where they show a video of a child getting a haircut and sing a cute song about the barber. We sing that song with him and keep reminding him that it doesn't hurt! But even with all of that prep, sometimes he still just screams and thrashes around the whole time..but I've seen NT kids do the same thing! I'm hopeful he grows out of it soon.. |
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