Mother works with Barbers for children with Autism

Mothers Barbers & Autism

WHEATON, Md. – The Center for Disease Control says 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with autism. Shante Harris-Superville, a local mother and owner of F.A.C.E. (Facing Autism with Children Everywhere) created an organization that helps local businesses on how to serve those with autism.

Her son, Dylan Harris is an 11 year old who was diagnosed with autism at two years old.

“It wasn’t until he was older and I started noticing that he would kind of squirm when the clippers got close or he would run out of the chair” says Harris.

Shante works hard to help other families who face the same challenges for their children. And because of Dylan’s discomfort with going to the barber, she then came up with a plan to train barbers how to manage individuals with autism.

“I wanted to make people aware that this is not just my child but there are millions of kids out here that may have this issue and just how to handle them when they come in” says Harris.

Local barber shop Friendly Faces owner requires all of their barbers to go through training with Shante on providing the best care for their autistic clients.

“We try to fill the voids that normal barber shops don’t fill, we want to make everyone feel comfortable when they come through the doors, everybody deserves to get the same etiquette” says Tyrone Davis, Owner of Friendly Faces Barber Shop.

Davis has been Dylan’s barber for years and he has seen growth in his performance as a barber after his training. Davis’s his co-owner says it was important to train his barbers because everyone deserves the best service.

“If you come in here any day anytime you’ll see some of everybody and I don’t see why somebody with special needs would be excluded” says Michael Pierre, Owner of Friendly Faces Barber in Wheaton, Maryland.

Friendly Faces now sees more than 20 clients with autism a month. Friendly Faces is located in both Frederick and Montgomery County. And Dylan’s mother is working on training officers and some medical professionals as well.