I am looking for feedback on tips for sensory dysfunction, I hope you all can help me. My son has problems when I take him to get his hair cut. I believe that the vibrations from the clippers along with the sound irritates him. He doesn't have a full blown tantrum when he is there, but he does get upset, some days he will actually do fine. Usually, as soon as his barber cuts the clippers on he tries to hop out the chair, he moves his head, and pushes the clippers away. Sometimes he will let the barber cut certain areas, like the front or the top of his head with no problem but as soon as he touches near his ears or near his neck he freaks out and we stop for a few minutes. Like I said we usually get through it okay, it just takes a lot of time, once he is finish my son gives the barber a high five and walks out like nothing is wrong. Since my son can't communicate very well, I'm not sure if its pain that he is feeling or just irritation. I do know that he doesn't like it and rather not be there. I just wondering what I can do to make this a better experience for him, or is this something I should stop, or maybe learn to do myself. Please let me know your thoughts.

My daughter hates haircuts, of course they don't use clippers on girls but still the scissors really bother her. I started making someone else go with me so there are two of us to keep her occupied and also we let her play with something to try to take her mind off the hair cut. One time we played catch and I chased a bouncy ball the whole time. This probably doesn't help but it's what I do. I hope you find something that works for you. For us it is always trial and error, which can take forever!

Thanks Christy, trial and error is the best way for me too. This situation has been the most difficult so far since each time his reaction is different. 8 out of 10 times he does not like it but the times that he does i try to do the same exact thing. we go the same day, around the same time, bring the same book, or candy. I hate to see him upset and not know how to fix it, not knowing if there is something that i'm missing. Thanks for the advise, i do appreciate it!

I think one of the hardest parts is that people just don't understand how kids with autism work. In some areas they have website where you can find people in different specialties that are familiar with individuals with disabilities. In Missouri you can find dentists and hair cutters and swim teachers and stuff like that. Unfortunately there aren't any people listed for the small community we live in but it is there for some larger communities.

I recently heard from an OT that when in doubt give the child heavy work to do. Examples of heavy work can be wall push ups, wheelbarrow walking, carrying something heavy, etc. Maybe then, to stretch this suggestion, have your child do some of this just before the haircut?

My son used to have this issue during haircuts. I put an old lead apron on him and it helped some. He also wore a compression vest during his haircut. Good luck. May

My daughter is super sensitive to having her hair washed and I can honestly say I have not found a way to do it in which she remains happy.. so I just opt for quick..

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
- Maya Angelou

Has anyone experienced an issues where there child all of sudden becomes super anxious, stating that they are scared all the time.. My daughter has not turned three yet so she cannot explain what is scaring her but I am not sure how to respond. I do not want to do something that inadvertently reinforces her fear but I also do not want not to comfort her..
Any advice

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
- Maya Angelou

Discontinue having his hair cut with clippers and have the barber cut his hair with sissors...I know his hair will be a bit longer, but so what. If the barber is not talented enough, take him to a beautyshop.
I think it's ok to bend a bit from normal social life for our kids.
I don't eat breakfast...(only on weekends). Not everyone follows "normalcy"(what ever that is).

For anyone who doesn't receive the Schafer Report:

What if autism could be reversed with a pill?
A growing body of research in mice and a handful of people is finding that autism is not a degenerative disease like Alzheimer's, but a changeable condition, like, say, epilepsy that can potentially be controlled.
A study out Wednesday in the journal Neuron found that medication could correct the health and behavior problems of mice with a genetic condition known to lead to autism in people. The drug, which acts on the synapses, or gaps, between brain cells, reversed a vast range of symptoms often associated with autism -- including hyperactivity, impaired learning and memory, and extreme sensitivity to sounds.
Most surprising, the drug worked on adolescent mice, showing that these symptoms are reversible even after the critical period of early brain development.
"I was thrilled," said Mark Bear, the MIT neuroscientist who led the research in collaboration with scientists from Roche.
Bear helped found a company, Seaside Therapeutics, which is currently studying a similar drug in people with Fragile X, a genetic condition that often leads to autism. The mice had the same genetic change as the people in the study. Roche and Novartis are also studying similar medications, with effectiveness trials due to be completed in about a year.
"I can't tell you how exciting it is right now, and how anxiously I am awaiting the impact of these clinical trials," Bear said. "It seems that in Fragile X and maybe other causes of autism there is essentially a metabolic problem."
The problem in Fragile X, Bear said, seems to be that there are too many proteins being produced in the junctures between brain cells. Flooded with proteins from one brain cell, a traffic jam results.
Bear said he was amazed, several years ago, when he realized that a tie-up between brain cells could cause the full range of symptoms found in autism.
"It truly is extraordinary that this receptor seems to give rise to so many aspects of the disease," he said.
Bear's isn't the only research to suggest that autism may be reversible, even beyond childhood.
In a 2007 study in the journal Science (covered in The Globe at the time), Adrian Bird from Edinburgh University reversed symptoms in adult mice with a different genetic glitch -- which leads to another autism-like condition in people, called Rett Syndrome. Using medication to turn back on the gene that is turned off in Rett Syndrome "leads to striking loss of advanced neurological symptoms in both immature and mature adult animals," Bird's study concluded.
Last month, another study -- this time in Nature -- found that Rett's devastating symptoms could be stopped in mice if they got a bone marrow transplant. This suggests that the immune system plays a role in Rett.
Mice with Rett syndrome normally live about weeks, but given a bone marrow transplant from healthy mice, they live much longer -- at least some of them are still alive nearly a year later, said Noel C. Derecki, the research fellow who led the study at the School of Medicine at the University of Virginia.
Derecki, and senior author Jonathan Kipnis, an associate professor at Virginia, said their work suggests that the loss of the MECP2 gene seen in Rett impairs the brain's ability to "take out the trash."
"These cells need to be cleaned up, so debris doesn't build up," said Derecki, whose grandfather ran a garbage collection business. By reinforcing the immune system with a bone marrow transplant, the researchers restored the mouse brain's ability to take out the trash.
Again, their conclusion was that autism is likely changeable throughout life -- that the behavior we see in people with autism is due to brain malfunctions but not brain damage.
The next step is to take their research into people, figuring out what kind of treatment will be most helpful. It's not yet clear either whether the findings in Rett and Fragile X will extend to the roughly 85 percent of those with autism who don't have an obvious genetic glitch.
Bear says that the findings of reversibility in older animals is good news for drug testing, because it's much easier to study drugs on adults than children.
Also, he said, a drug alone may not be enough.
Mice given the drug for four months improved far more than those given it for just a month -- suggesting, he said, that the brain needs to adapt once its biological problems have been resolved.
In people, Bear said, "it's not just the drug that's going to lift the veil [of autism], but it's going to allow the veil to be lifted with appropriate behavioral therapy. And that's really what we're aiming for."
Karen Weintraub can be reached at Karen@KarenWeintraub.com.

I have 17 years of dealing with autism under my belt and I have been following news reports even before the Schafer Report was created(Lenny Schafer began this autism news clipping e-mail digest when he was with FEAT, long ago, eventually branching off on his own).
This by far is the most promising treatment I have yet read anywhere.
It's not a "CURE"!
It's the ability to take a pill, put it into your child's mouth and then teach them, like you always have, through ABA or just life skills.
BUT, with the pill, it removes this protein build up in the brain, allowing the brain neuron's to FINALLY connect properly.
I remember reading about this build-up of this protein they found years ago.
My son learns now, everyday. The problem is, you have to do it step by step day after day and sometimes, he forgets past training, so you have to revert back, and recover then move on again at a snails pace as usual.
This new discovery and drug will allow no more back pacing and the less need to break each learning task into very simple steps. It will eventually allow the child to begin to learn at a normal pace, in which recovery from autism will surface.

This is what I know and have believed all along: Our children are autistic but not mentally retarded or brain damaged. It is a metabolic problem, at least for my son.
Again, this is not a cure, it is a reverse of autism.
Our kids can learn and do everyday, but at a snails pace.
This will allow them to learn and grow to be one day "normal"(whatever that is)...at least socially compliant, productive, independent, and survive in our society as a member of it and not a burdon.
Go to school in neuro-typical classes, graduate, go to college, get a degree(hey, Temple did it), learn about the beauty of love, date, find a great job or a fantastic career, marry and have a family and kids, grow old and complain about politics and the weather!

We all want our kids to be able to take care of their selves on their own. I believe this day is coming to us. If you believe in God, Please pray to him for this to happen...our kids need this discovery and recovery.
Kind Regards,
Gary Champagne

Gary this is great! I have never heard of this, but i will be paying more attention to it now. Thanks for the article. Believe me i will be praying! Thanks again!

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Thank for the advice, believe me i will be trying all of these things. I will ask his barber about using scissors, but the texture of my sons hair i'm not sure that would work. I figured worse case i will start doing it myself. I tried it once and really messed him up, but he did sit better for me and I was able to take my time

I cut my son's hair myself. I have to do it while he sleeps, that's how scared he is of clippers and scissors.  his meds allow him to sleep very soundly.  the first couple of times it turned out pretty bad, but I'm getting better and the last few times turned out pretty good! You'll get better too.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4GLTE smartphone.

 
From : Jessica R.
 

Jessica,
I will post here the link to the Schafer Report, it's a digest and is really good information.
http://www.sarnet.org/
I have known this guy when there were only 3, yes, 3 autism information sites online...back in 1995.
Google autism now, there are so many.
Back then, there was no such thing as "Google"...we had "Netscape" as a web crawler, and that is what it did...crawled, it was so slow.
The late Bernard Rimland and I from the Autism Research Institute were close too on phone and e-mail(he was one of the 3 autism sites). I miss him.
Yup, I'm old, but SEASONED!!!
hehehe
And my son??? ANYTHING a autistic can go through or do to you, he has done.
WE have been through it ALL!
Even seizures...due to my stupidity in trusting a shrink one time...but that only happens once on my watch!
We've done everything too, except the pure oxygen chamber and swimming with the dolphins.
Other than that...we've tried everything to CURE.
I would still be doing chelation with DMSA but the expense is so much, I just can't afford it.
I am comepletely broke and all credit cards are maxed.
And, yes, chelation does help...well, with my son.(toxic boy)
It's not for every child, only the ones that have a bio problem that keeps them from excreting toxins from their body. I can cut some hair from myself today and some from my sons head and send it to a lab. I will have a much higher concentration of mercury in my hair and my son will have very little...reason for that, his body is so messed up he cannot properly excrete the toxins.
I wonder if the mercury causes the protein in the brain...acting like a shield or a scab.
I should write them and ask the question.
Mercury is the only metal found to destroy or "eat" brain neurons by the University of Calgary...and it's one of a few that can cross the blood brain barrier.

From what I have came to understand, once these disconnected brain neurons finally connect, they basically flex from there on only to be severed again from severe trama, blood clots, enlarged tumor in the brain, or loss of oxygen(deterioration) and can be restored if death doesn't kick in first.
What I'm trying to get to is our kids can become neuro-typically "normal" and only face the same obstacles we neuro-typicals face in our life times.

I have a good feeling about the reversal of autism. It's not going to happen over night and it's not a cure...but what it is: It's logical hope.
What they are looking at, in my book, it should work.

My son will be 20 this year, August 20th.
I want him to come to me and ask for the car keys because he has a date.
I know it may not be this year, but in my heart, I know it WILL be one year.
One day, I will not be that important to him anymore...cars, a job and girls will be...I am ready to not be that important to him...I will explain all to him and he will appreciate the Lord...as he will understand.
My son, he is a good boy with a kind heart, he will embrace kindness and respect as he does sometimes within his autism now.
My son already has the foundation for success in life, the cuffs that bind him to autism are the ONLY thing that keeps him held back.
Kind Regards,
Gary

Jessica,
There has got to be a better way.
Anyone following this, please research and try to help as I will do.
Maybe there is a silent clipper out there. This child should not have to go through the annoying sound and feel of a clipper. Those things "snap" when they come on!(sounds like a mini-bullwhip)....
I know the feeling. My dad was military and he wanted my brother and I to wear a military buzz cut when we were young, I friggin hated it, that is why I wear my hair long now!
I understand Jessica why clippers need to be used with your sons hair...and we should find a solution, other than making him have to go through being uncomfortable.
There's a solution, we just have to find it.
I will help.
Kind Regards,
Gary

Thankfully I am an ex-hair stylist so I can cut my son's hair who also has sensory dysfunction. I would suggest that you ask the barber to not use a clippers since noises really bother our kids. They can get it pretty short with scissors. (or take him to a hair stylist rather than a barber who is comfortable with the comb-over-scissors technique for the shorter bottom of boys' hair. I also have my son watch a DVD on our portable DVD player while I cut it.  I use a squirt bottle to get it wet (put a towel over their face).
Good luck! Christy V   


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Try talking to him while his hair is being cut as it will distract him from the noise. Use topics that are interesting to him and it will make the time go by faster.

Hi, Christy V again...the ex hair stylist. You can definitely learn to do it yourself. Boys wear their hair so short these days.  If he tolerates the clippers, just use a #3 guard (3/8 inch) all over the head and it will be short but I'm sure it will be cute. And turn on the DVD player!


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I had broken sleep last night thinking about why I didn't tell you the entire story yesterday about my own son's sensory relief as a result of the Berard Method of auditory integration training (Berard AIT). I didn't tell you because I am a practitioner of Dr. Berard's Method of AIT. In conclusion, you and I most likely will not cross paths, so I will submit this vital information.

In this note, I will speak with the knowledge of a Berard practitioner, but know that I humbly speak, just as you have asked, from the working heart of a mom.

I became a certified Berard practitioner because of the outcomes my son received at age ten. Up to this point, but prior to the Berard Method, my son had received two other different types of auditory integration training programs which made his sensory system worse.

My son was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder before he turned three years of age, and because of his prematurity, he had always been in "therapy". Among some of the seemingly insurmountable challenges my son's therapists faced when working with him were sensory integration issues from the time he was about five DAYS old. He, needless to say, has had difficulties with the "buzzing" of the clippers during haircuts at the barber. For that matter, he has also had difficulties with grooming in general, due to his lack of coordination as well as his inability to process reasons for good hygiene, and there was no motivation since it was always painful for him to complete this daily regimen. Nail clipping was out of the question. He screamed as if I was beating him instead of my lovingly clipping his long and jagged nails. Enough digression.

It was after his first round of Berard AIT that I began to notice his increasing tolerance to the world around him. His improved tolerance to unexpected and loud sounds in the environment, hair cutting, nail clipping, balance control, etc. were not expected by me since he had had negative outcomes from other previous auditory programs.

I am so glad that I had continued with my search for another auditory program that could possibly help my son, and reading up on neural plasticity. Likewise, I feel it is vital that you learn about the Berard AIT method and neural plasticity. The Berard Method is based on the theory of neural plasticity. My suggestion is, learn all you can about this theory. Google these words "neural plasticity", and "Dr. Aage Moller". I believe he's at UT in Dallas? He's a neuroscientist who does research on auditory processing and the brain. He also teaches at the medical school in Texas. It's all very interesting stuff and you will learn a ton.

The Berard Method of AIT is a specialized listening program provided only by a certified Berard practitioner. The client listens to modulated music through a headset for 30 minutes twice per day for ten days. There are a total of 20 listening sessions. Based on neural plasticity theory, the repetition, intensity and novelty from listening to the modulated music can help, in most cases, to reorganize a "dysfunctional" or "disorganized" sensory system. Once the person's brain has been reorganized, future incoming information (via senses) can then be appropriately and efficiently interpreted and processed.

If you want to learn more about the Berard Method, you can google the names and words "Guy Berard auditory integration training". You can also visit my website at listentolearn.biz and the "Resources" page will direct you to Dr. Berard's website as well as many other vital information. I also wrote in the "News" page of listentlearn.biz website about some of the outcomes of the clients who have completed auditory training with me. Feel free to ask any questions. I will answer free of charge. All the best and good luck. May

Does your son like music? can you let him listen to an ipod or iphone. My son plays a Thomas the train app on my phone and sometimes uses the headphones. A lollipop in his mouth also calms him down.

Hi Maureen,
Our son had the same issues, and would go screaming out of the barber shop. I am able to cut his hair at home, and have very few issues now. Our deal is, he can have all the candy he wants while I cut his hair, but he has to unwrap it. He usually only has 2-3 pieces by the time I finish using the clippers and scissors. Whatever his favorite thing it, reward him every step of the way for every part he accomplishes.

We have also been talking about going to my stylist so that he can see that she is very sweet and won't hurt him. It is a long process, but we will work our way back to a traditional hair cut. Don't give up, just find a way around!