Parents Drive 530 Miles to a Special Hair Salon

Many parents will travel a long way for their children. Al and Ramona Nicolau travel 530 miles to a hairdresser. Their son Alex is seven years old. He is autistic. In the past, he hated haircuts. He shook because he was scared. He did not like the loud noise from hair dryers.

Then, the family found a special place. They discovered the Blade Inclusive Salon in Lowestoft, Suffolk. The family moved to Aberdeen in 2022. But they still travel 530 miles for a haircut. They make this trip four times a year. They also visit the grandfather on these trips. Alex is very calm at this salon. He really wants to go there now.

Caroline Parnis owns this salon. She has ADHD and understands neurodivergent needs. She started the salon almost 20 years ago. Seven years ago, she created a special room. She calls it The Sensory Studio. This room has toys, toy cars, and books. It also has pictures on the walls. The room is quiet and relaxing. Caroline knows about the problems. Some children hate the feeling of cut hair. Some children hate loud hair clippers. Caroline always starts with scissors. She wants to build trust with the child.

Gary Newman is another customer. His 14-year-old son Oliver is autistic and cannot speak. Gary drives 210 miles from Lowestoft to Sudbury and back. This trip takes six hours. Before, Oliver was very angry at hairdressers. They were very scared to cut his hair. Now, Oliver takes off his shirt. He does not want loose hair on his clothes. He sits in the chair and loves the experience.

Another mother, Hayley Ingram, is 43 years old. Her son Noah completely forgets about his haircut. He just plays in the relaxing room. Families come from many places for this service. They travel from Kent, Norwich, and Dartford. They are very happy with Caroline.