Shaving Part 1
One of my adult friends with autism finds his marked sensory sensitivities stand in the way of his shaving regularly. His aversion to the sound of an electric razor and the grating feeling of a hand razor or an electric razor cause him to appear poorly groomed. His failure to shave causes problems with employers and with some family and friends who become impatient or intolerant of his extraordinary aversions to certain sensory input.
or
continue reading
I have other teen and young adult friends with autism who also struggle with the issue of shaving. Most have exceptional tactile sensitivities that make this daily task a very trying experience. Just as with many issues related to autism, those of us who do not experience these extreme sensory aversions may think our friends are exaggerating their sensitivities. But, since many of the young men I know have problems with shaving, I view this as a genuine concern on their part.
Although there is not a single solution that applies in every case, some of the following strategies have worked over the years for some individuals who have an exceptional aversion to shaving.
SHAVER CHOICES. Some men with autism find they can tolerate shaving if they use a 3-blade safety razor and better quality shaving gel. Others find they can tolerate a better quality electric razor that is not a noisy as others. And still others discover they are more tolerant of shaving when switching from an electric razor to a safety razor – or vice versa.
BEARD AND MUSTACHE. Some men with autism discover they simply cannot shave because of extreme sensory issues. In that case, growing a beard and mustache that can be trimmed with scissors might be the best option.
Check in with the second podcast in this series about shaving for several more options for dealing with the issue.
NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com
Automatically generated related posts:
- Shaving Part 2 We are continuing our discussion about the aversion to shaving...
- Daily Bath Several adult friends with autism have commented on problems related...
- Matter of Degree Autism does not have a monopoly on challenges and problems....
- Dry Skin A friend with autism sent a message inquiring about options...
- Too Noisy In the previous podcast, Noisy Machines, my colleague Gloria McDaniel...