HAIRCUTS: Tips  for the Sensitive Child

Because of the high amount of unfamiliar and unpredictable sensations involved in getting a haircut (in movement, touch, and sound especially), the following strategies may help the sensitive child prepare for, and therefore be more accepting of, getting a haircut:

1.  Schedule the haircut for the time of day when the child is typically most relaxed and calm.

2.  Visit the haircutting shop briefly several times before the haircut. Introduce the child to the specific person who will cut his/her hair. Explain the difference between a ‘visit’ and an ‘appointment’. Talk about other people who are getting their haircut, and encourage the child to look at them, noticing their reactions to their experience.

3.  Introduce the child gradually to the ‘tools’ used in haircutting, such as the soft ‘shaving’ brush, the clippers, the hair dryer, the combs, the scissors, etc.

4.  As allowed by the stylist, with guided supervision let the child touch and operate the tools. Use simple language, repeating sensory words associated with haircutting: buzz, snip, tickle, vibrate, touch, etc.

5.  Go with a haircut that can be done in the least amount of time possible with the fewest number of tools, such as a Buzz Cut or single layer (blunt) cut. If you find that your child reacts negatively to a certain tool, such as reacting to the trimmers but tolerating the scissors, ask the stylist for a style that can be done with the preferred tool. Make sure that the stylist understands that, at this point, it is much more important to you that the child has a positive experience with a "so-so" haircut than having a perfect trim.

6.  Take a ‘distracter’ for use during the haircut, such as a hand held electronic game or headphones (for listening to music), to focus the child’s attention on something of interest. This is especially helpful if it is something with sounds or movement, or something new and tantalizing. Staying next to the child and calmly talking about people or interesting items in the shop can also be helpful in diverting the child’s attention.

7.  The week before the haircut, ‘rehearse’ a haircut several times through play, at a time of day when the child is happy and relaxed. ‘Pretending’ to have a haircut provides a way of introducing the sequence of the activity, as well as the sensory components in a familiar environment with a trusted person.  Imitate the associated sounds as you pretend to cut the child’s hair – and keep the play routine short!

8.  Make a 4-5 picture sequence of a haircut with numbers or arrows to indicate the progression. For example: 1) ‘get ready’ in seat, 2) cut the top, 3) cut the sides and back, 4) trim around the edges, 5) brush off, 6) finished – time to leave and/or get a reward. Verbalize the sequence as you ‘play’ explaining that it is not finished until every step is completed. Have the child point to and verbalize the sequence as you progress through it. Start with each step being very brief (5-10 seconds) and gradually increase the time to approximate the actual time required. Take the sequence pictures with you to the haircut.

9.  Ask if the stylist will let the child turn the clippers on/off or help in other ways, to give the child a sense of control over the experience.

10.  Teach the child a ‘stop’ signal to use, such as holding up a hand. If the child signals to stop, then stop immediately, even in the pretend haircut play. Praise the child for doing well up to this point – “Do you need a little break? You were doing GREAT!” After a brief break, refer to the sequence chart calmly: “Now let’s finish.”

11.  Using a timer may help the child feel confident that the haircut will end shortly.

12.  Reward/praise the child and tip the stylist well!!