Many disabled children really hate getting their hair cut. Everything from the snipping sound of the scissors to the sensory overload of a hair dryer can be disturbing. From their perspective, the fake florals of perfume and shampoo and the acrid smells of nail polish remover, bleach and wax are distasteful and alarming.
Once I saw it through Moy Moy’s eyes (she hated haircuts so much I finally learned to do them myself) I realized we were the ones with the problem, not her.
In our new building, Latika will have a Sensory Salon. Funded by Nykaa, it will be different from the get go. We don’t see the child with “sensory issues” as the problem; we know the problem is US. Our goal is to ensure that every child is happy, confident and IN CHARGE. Like any good consumer service, we’re here for the customer.
Apart from the trained sensory stylist, our salon staff will be disabled adults who know from their own experience what it’s like to feel helpless and overwhelmed. We’ll be listening closely for their insights and prepared to make whatever changes are necessary.
I don’t know why our kids always have to be the canary in the mine shaft. I just know how grateful I am for their wisdom, their warnings and their grace.
