An Interview with an ICF Certified Mindset Coach

1. Escape: This behavior is maintained when a child is trying to avoid something he or she does not like to do. 

2. Attention: This behavior is maintained when a child is trying to get attention either from a parent, sibling, teachers, peers, etc

3. Access to Tangible: This behavior is maintained when a child is trying to get access to a preferred item or activity that he or she enjoys. 

4.  Sensory Stimulation.  This behavior is maintained when there is an internal stimulation that a child finds pleasing or disturbing. 

 

What are the special needs children's challenges?

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There are a lot of challenges that special needs children go through in their day-to-day life. Some of the challenges which are very common are:

• Lack of Communication: Due to delay in speech, some of the kids are nonverbal to verbal in expressing their thoughts. This is a challenge not just for them but also for their parents and caregivers. With proper speech and other types of therapy kids with special needs show a lot of improvement. 

• Absence of Social Skills:  Sometimes kids with special needs find it difficult to navigate the social world around them. They become anxious and feel awkward being around others resulting in a challenging situation. There are many programs and training that will not only help them overcome this challenge but also teach them to acquire and maintain social skills. 

• Deficit in Emotional Regulation: Due to impairment in emotional regulation, some of the common problems seen are irritability, impulsivity, anxiety, and self-injury. However, with a myriad of research and ABA programs such as ACT, AIM, PVT etc children with emotional regulation issues are able to maintain and balance their emotions. 

• Cognitive Impairment: Difficulty in remembering, concentration, making decisions or processing information results in Cognitive Impairment. One of the biggest areas that affects a child is the Academic apart from daily living and social skills. With symptoms ranging from mild to severe, studies have shown with proper teaching and training improvement can be seen over the years. 

 

How do you think a salon can help them during a haircut?

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By better equipping with knowledge and tools, salons can make a haircut a good experience for kids with special  needs. By attending training and workshops, hairstylists can not only help understand the needs of a special child, but also create a friendly environment during the haircut. Some of the ways that can help ease the sensory discomfort is to provide a tour of the salon where the child touches and explores the equipment used for the haircuts. Add tools such as calming clippers and noise canceling headphones to take care of the child struggling with auditory stimuli.  Have fun reinforcers such as an iPad, fidget toys, and snacks to motivate them. Dim the lights to avoid light sensitivity, and add soothing music to calm their nerves.  

 

What do you think is the best way to calm down a special needs child?

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During a sensory meltdown, there are many steps salons can take to relax the child. Some of them would be to initially ask the parent or caregiver what best can be done to calm the child and at the same time try to identify the trigger that may cause the meltdown. Another tip is to distract the child with preferred items he or she would like to play with. Lastly, if nothing works out give them their space to calm their nerves. Simultaneously help them take deep breaths to relax. 

 

What would you like to say to the parents who are struggling to get their special needs child a good haircut?

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Preparing the child ahead of time can immensely help parents to have a good haircut experience. As mentioned above either taking them to a salon tour or showing pictures of the salon can mentally and emotionally prepare the child for the upcoming haircut. There is always a high chance of things not going the way it was expected. An emergency kit with preferred items, food, activities or even medication can help parents rescue from the struggles they might face during the haircuts. Lastly by providing proper information parents can team up with the salon to create a special experience for the kids with special needs.

                                                 

About Seema Ahmed:

She is an ICF certified Mindset Coach specializing in ADHD and Autism. She is also working towards her specialization in Applied Behavior Analysis from UC Santa Barbara to become a board certified Behavior Analyst. As an Intern, she works with kids and teens with special needs. She enjoys what she does and feels it's very rewarding. 

For more information visit https://www.seemaahmed.com/