When special needs should include a nice haircut

In my line of work I encounter many people with special needs, and one thing which strikes me is the complete lack of imagination shown by their carers as regards appearance, particularly hair. When was the last time you saw a person with, say, Down`s Syndrome sporting a snappy, up-to-the minute hairstyle? Not often. It`s usually an unattractive bowl chop (female) or side part (male). I makes me wonder - do they think it doesn`t really matter? If so, they are doing that section of society a big disfavor.
Fortunately, attitudes toward the less able are opening up all the time, yet if those with responsiblity could only see it, they could afford their charges more dignity and less conspicuousness if they could ensure they were not always seen as "different" from the back, also.

I`ve been thinking of your point for awhile Phil - you may be on to something. Several factors
may play part of the caregiver/haircutter`s style given to the subject:

-low maintenance
-they think the person is "not worth" the care, being "ugly" from the start
-they DO think it looks good

At any rate, while some of these people may not really need fancy `dos (eg - they`re not corporate
executives who feel they have to have a very business-oriented style) they certainly deserve
the same care re their hair as anyone else. I may post a related post regarding childrens` hair...

[QUOTE=phil] In my line of work I encounter many people with special needs, and one thing which strikes me is the complete lack of imagination shown by their carers as regards appearance, particularly hair. When was the last time you saw a person with, say, Down's Syndrome sporting a snappy, up-to-the minute hairstyle? Not often. It's usually an unattractive bowl chop (female) or side part (male). I makes me wonder - do they think it doesn't really matter? If so, they are doing that section of society a big disfavor.
Fortunately, attitudes toward the less able are opening up all the time, yet if those with responsiblity could only see it, they could afford their charges more dignity and less conspicuousness if they could ensure they were not always seen as "different" from the back, also.
[/QUOTE]
I can remember back a few years ago when I was getting a haircut and they brought in a few people with Downs Syndrome. The first one to get a haircut was a guy and he jumped in the chair but when he saw what she was going to do he started to scream and kick and his caretaker had to comfort him. The stylist had a hard time giving him a haircut but she did a very good job, needless to say when it was time for the neck shave and trimming around the ears with the clippers, he started screaming and tried to jump from the chair, knocking the clippers out of the sytlists hand. I just wonder if part of it is that they get kind of squirmish and scared of haircuts so thats why they dont get the fancy stylish do`s.

Now I have seen a few female downs with some nice stylish hair styles. My daughter has a little girl in her class that has downs and she enjoys getting her haircut and always has pretty styles.

I am a hairstylist. My cousin Racheal, who pasted away last Feburary, always loved her long blonde hair. She loved brushing it and styling it. She was a beautiful woman with Down Syndrome. Unfortunatly she was an execption.

Alot of families with a Down Syndrome child cannot get attiquate medical insurance because most insurance companies will not cover them. Therefore alot of thier medical expenses are placed on the family. With such a short supply of money left over for luxuries like haircare, they end up cutting it themselves or going to the local chain salon "chop shop".

I personally have some "special" clients whom I give a discount for. I do this on behalf of my special angel in heaven named Racheal.