Going to the hairdressers: a guide for parents of children with autism and Asperger syndrome Author: Laura Slade, NAS Autism Helpline team, with illustrations by Dennis Ayris ISBN: 978 1 90572 200 6 Code: NAS 654 £1.00 excl. vat £1.00 incl. vat

This helpful booklet explains why a child with an ASD may become distressed when having a haircut and also suggests some strategies to help.

Published by The National Autistic Society, 2006, 16pp, A5, booklet

Review

What parents want is easy-to-read, to-the-point information, together with some strategies for coping with the everyday activities that can cause such a headache if you have a child on the autistic spectrum.

This leaflet is really useful in highlighting why some of the situations most of us accept without question, such as a visit to the hairdressers, result in such problems if you have sensory difficulties associated with autistic spectrum disorders. I can well remember my son's first trip to the hairdressers - we left having paid the full amount, with half a head of hair shorter than the other half. The following days were spent trying to snip another bit of hair off at any opportune moment!

The key points in the leaflet are easy to find for quick reference and the information is clearly presented, easily absorbed and understood. It covers lots of possible solutions in a very concise format, so that an understanding hairdresser might also have time to read the leaflet before the child arrives for a haircut.

For anyone who wants more detailed information, further reading on the subject is listed in the references at the end of the leaflet.

Jan Cole
Parent and Parent Support Advisor, Asperger East Anglia