My Child Cries When Getting His Hair Washed

By: Becky Mansfield

Sensory Issues With Hair Washing

Do you have a child that is sensitive to hair washing due to sensory issues? You are not alone. Often times kids with Sensory Processing Disorder can feel a lot of anxiety in anticipation of the water hitting their heads along with it being painful to the touch.

Autism Parenting Magazine shares some wonderful ides to make bath time a splash; even with sensory issues. We also found this post over at The Sensory Seeker that gives some wonderful information to help you approach hair washing with your child. And there are also several wonderful tips compiled on this post over at Your Kids Table.

While there are many variations as to why your child with sensory issues may be afraid of washing their hair, the good news is that there are many resources like the ones above to help you pinpoint the triggers. Keep trying, you and your precious child will get there!

How Do I Teach My Child to Wash Their Hair?

While every child is different, below are some general guidelines to follow when beginning to teach your child to wash their hair. Be sure to practice patience through the process as every child learns and develops at a different pace. And always praise them for a job well done!

Step 1: Have them us a fun toy like this shampoo rinser to wet their hair.

Step 2: Put a small amount of shampoo onto their hand (dime size is good to start and you can go up from there).

Step 3: Ask your child to begin rubbing the shampoo onto their hair and scalp. If they need help, you can gently guide them.

Step 4:  Have them rinse their hair using a shampoo rinser and ask them to feel it each time. This will give them the ability to “feel” when there is soap in the hair, and when there is not (with your help, of course).

Step 5: Use a regular towel or a fun one with a hood and teach them to dry their hair.

Step 6: It’s time to brush! Depending on your child’s hair texture, this would be a great time to teach them to brush their hair, too. Even if they don’t do much, it will make them feel proud and encourage them to try again!

There you have it! Super simple and easy, but such a great hygiene skill to have. Before you know it your child will be washing their hair all by themselves.

Bath time struggles can be frustrating and you can feel helpless, but it will end.  Keep trying and making you child feel safe.  Resist the urge to become frustrated or angry with your child.   Try making bath time fun and enjoyable for your child.  In the meantime, come to our Facebook page to continue this conversation and many others.

Source: https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/79304/child-cries-when-getting-his-hair-washed

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