HAIR WASHING AND AUTISM
Hair washing maybe overwhelming for her. From what I understand hair washing & hypesensitivity can effect one or more of the senses .So it could be tactile, vestibular or auditory . If it's tactile the suds may be too overstimulating when washing and triggers an adverse reaction. Maybe try a tear free low suds shampoo.
Lather the shampoo into her head using deep pressure may help her tolerate it better.
We use her favorite pair of goggles....
My daughter does not like holding her head back. We used her favorite pair of goggles to keep the water from dripping into her eyes.
Using a foam visors is another idea 💡
Pre shower activities.....
You may want to try proprioceptive activities before washing her hair.The proprioceptive activities help calm the body.
Here are a couple of examples of proprioceptive activities -
Squishing them between pillows on the couch, walking on their hands, deep squeezes to their arms and legs.
Give a scalp massage before washing for added proprioceptive input.
Vestibular helps us with balance and movement.
My daughter feels like she is falling when she tllts her head back She says it makes her feel unbalanced and sometimes dizzy. I have her lean her head forward and she uses the detachable shower head.
Some things that help the vestibular system are skipping , activities where are arms are supporting her shoulders, and balance activities.
Sometime the smell of the shampoo is part of the adversity.