One barber went the extra mile to give this autistic boy a haircut
Jamie Lewis and Denine Davies have struggled to find a hairdresser able to give their son, Mason, a haircut. Mason was diagnosed with autism a few months ago, and the sensory overload he experiences when someone tries to cut his hair can be so acute it manifests as physical pain. Enter James Williams, Neath Port Talbot’s (and possibly the UK’s) most determined barber. James tried a number of times to give Mason a haircut, but found each time that it just wasn’t possible. Mason wouldn’t ‘let me go near one of his ears,’ James said. ‘He would run away on times.’ Finally, James took a different approach. Instead of forcing Mason to sit in a chair, he left Mason where he was – on the floor – and joined him there. After successfully cutting his hair for the first time, Williams asked for a high five. And Mason gave him a hug.