United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

My daughter is almost 12 years old and still can't really wash her own hair. Of course, she tries and it always looks dirty because I think she's not getting all the shampoo & conditioner out. I know what some of you are thinking....that this was discussed at camp and I should have gone!! Trust me, I know we should have gone. I just couldn't come up with the money. Anyway, I remember there was a link to a website on here a while ago where you could purchase different items to help and I can't find it now. Does anyone know of a tool that would help with that or another trick? I tell her all the time that I'm going to have to wash it for her and she HATES that idea. She's very private. HELP!! I would appreciate any help or advice I could get. Thanks!

if you have a beauty school in your area, you could call them and ask if they could give you some ideas on this. or if you dont have a school in your area, call around some of the salons and see if they can help. either way your daughter could go there and let them show her some tips and you could make it a fun day for the both of you

I use a hand-held shower head. This way I can get the water where I want it to, and can hold it close to my head or hook it back up to the shower higher up. This way I can direct the water all over my head, close to it and I know the shampoo is all out. I use only one hand as I can't get my OPBI arm up that high.

i use only one hand as well. and i usually go by feel as to whether i get all the soap out. i tend to stand under the water for a little whileand turn my head in all different directions and rub with my good hand. when i was younger i had the same problem, i'd come downstairs after a shower and be sent back upstairs to rinse my hair better so she's not alone. my biggest issue was brushing my hair though, with only one hand i could never get the knots out and they continuously had to be cut out. i keep my hair short now!

I use one hand to shampoo my head and have a hand held shower attached to the regular show so I can rinse it.

it's very important to get all the soap and cream rinse out of your hair and it would be very helpful for her if you installed the shower head. They come in all different price ranges we have had both kinds. The last two we bought were about 39 or 40 $$$ but and we got them at Lowe's. They are well worth the money and the hook that holds them on the wall is adjustable for kids height for regular showers. The connection to the shower head allows you to have both shower heads working at the same time or one at a time. She will be able to do her hair once you get the extra shower head and feel independent. My Mom use to wash my hair in the sink because I could not do it and rinse it right...

Hope this works for you. Most of the obpi adults I know use one hand to wash their heads. It's blowing dry our hair we we have to become inventive.

Maia uses a regular shower head (although it is a massage shower head that does come off, Maia is scared of the noise it makes and won't take it off -- so she uses it as a regular shower head)

I dilute the shampoo into a smaller squeezable bottle. I do 1/3 shampoo and 2/3 water. That way - she can squeeze everything in there on her head and since it's already diluted, it's easy to make a head of suds - she doesn't have to fight the shampoo to dilute it herself and spread it around. This dilution makes rinsing easier -- there are no globs of shampoo anywhere.

She scrubs her head with one arm.

Then she rinses under the shower head.

For conditioner, we use a "Leave-in" kind and that cuts down on all the rinsing time.

We stopped blow drying it -- the leave-in conditioner is also a nice stay in and curls her hair up nicely so it doesn't need to be blow dryed anymore.

When she has to go someplace fancy, we go to the beauty parlor and they use a straightening iron - that lasts for about 3 days.

We have a deal that as long as Maia is living at home and I can help her, she can have long hair --- so I help her condition it and comb it out and put it in braids, etc. But when she moves out, she knows that she'll have to think it through and go for "easy" by cutting it shorter, or doing whatever needs to be done to make life easy.

f-litz you are such a great mom. did you read the poem about heavens special child? i think all the moms on here are special. you all are gods gift to your child(dren) it takes a special person to take care of a special needs child. i never had any children although i wanted them.

Some girls want a sense of independence and it builds self esteem to do one's own hair.
Once in a while as a teen I used my babysitting money to go and just have a shampoo at a beauty shop; sometimes I went to a beauty school where prices are very inexpensive. I finally went to a short crop when I went to college and have returned to this easy care style last year and I should have done it earlier...lol
Carolyn J
LOBPI/72

Fran,
If Maia wants help with doing ponytails, I will help her figure it out

I do remember the trouble with washing my hair initially. My problem, though, wasn't getting the shampoo/conditioner out but getting the shampoo spread evenly. My left side was always easier for some reason ...

My first problem was figuring out how to hold the shampoo since I could no longer squeeze it into one hand and then rub together. Instead, now I stand like a flamingo (or put one foot up on the side of the tub if I'm feeling particularly unstable that day) and put my shampoo on my leg. Then I take little bits from that blob and start spreading it all over my hair. First bit goes to my left side, the next bit goes to the right side, the next/last bit goes to the back and the length of my hair until my entire hair is covered in shampoo. (I've tried other methods - like pouring the shampoo straight on my head - but this is the one I've had the most success with and I've been using for 11 years) Then I scrub. It's important to start at the roots since that's where the oil originates. Maybe part of the problem is that she's putting the shampoo on her hair's length and not at her roots?

Then I rinse thoroughly. Rinsing I've never had trouble with - I just finger comb my hair as I stand under the water until it's all out. Although sometimes I do end up with conditioner in my right ear haha oops!