With today's hectic schedules and family lives, parents welcome effective natural wellness alternatives to support their child's health and happiness. Essential oils offer simple, effective means to calm kids down, give them quality rest, and support healing the little injuries of childhood through natural means. There's a great many essential oils available with a wonderful variety of healing actions. Here we'll have a look at five oils commonly used to support children's health, and simple ways to incorporate them into your lifestyle.
There are several easy methods to utilize natural essential oils with children. These include topical application via caring touch massage; direct application to wounds; inhalation from cloth (like clothing or a pillowcase); room sprays and diffusers; and the all-purpose aromatherapy bath. The key difference in using essential oils with children, compared to adults, is that children will need smaller amounts of oil for the same effect. There are a few oils that shouldn't be used with children; peppermint, most eucalyptus varieties, and red thyme, for example, are considered too strong. If in doubt about any oil consult a knowledgeable practitioner or reputable text.
The dosages and dilutions used for children are generally significantly lower than those used with adults. Dilutions for caring touch massage can start as low as 1 drop per ounce of carrier (hazelnut is excellent for most applications) for newborns, moving up approximately 1 drop per year, within a range of about 3 drops per ounce. For example, a massage blend for a four year old might contain anywhere from 3 to 6 drops of essential oil per ounce, depending on the oil and the child. Oils like Lavender, Roman Chamomile and Vanilla are exceptionally gentle - more could be used without worry. An oil like Rose, while wonderful for children, is fairly potent, and using a little less may be prudent. The child's weight and overall condition can also be considered; a child that is big for their age could use slightly higher amounts of essential oil, whereas a child that is week from illness could use a little less.
So what are these few important essential oils we've alluded to? We'll start with Vanilla...Mmmm, everyone loves vanilla, right? It turns out that babies especially respond well to the comforting sweet aroma. While a good vanilla essential oil is a little expensive, only a very small amount is needed to create an exceptionally soothing massage oil for belly, back and foot rubs. Vanilla, being so gentle, can be used in concentrations of up to 1% (that's 10 drops per ounce of carrier). Really all that's needed is a hint of the aroma for it to work wonders. I've received reports of children being instantly calmed by a gentle vanilla massage, then immediately asking for more!
Next up is Chamomile. Roman Chamomile is premier oil calming little ones over two years of age. The oil may be used in a number of ways; aromatherapy massage, in a diffuser or room spray (with this and other oils, dilute 10 drops per cup of water in a clean spray bottle - shake well and lightly mist the air), a drop or two sprinkled on bedding, or in a bath. According to Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt in Advanced Aromatherapy, "Even in very small concentrations, whether alone or in combinations with other oils (Roman Chamomile) has a soothing effect. It's appropriate to massage a few undiluted drops into the solar plexus." It is noted as particularly suited to calming tantrums or bringing calm after nightmares.
Lavender essential oil is also highly regarded for its soothing qualities, along with a host of other healing actions. Lavender oil has been called 'a medicine chest in a bottle', as it is anti-inflammatory (good for small burns - apply directly as needed), relieves pain and supports wound healing. Clinical studies have proven Lavender oil's effectiveness for improving sleep. For children, blend 2 to 1 with Roman Chamomile. Apply one drop of this blend to the pillow at nap or night time. Lavender works well in a bath, too. Additionally, Lavender can be mixed in equal parts with Tea Tree oil to add a soothing quality to Tea Tree's antiseptic action. Really, every parent should have a bottle of Lavender on hand.
When sour moods are in need of a lift, citrus oils supply the aromas of choice. Tangerine and Sweet Orange are especially liked, and Mandarin has a certain calming effect not found in any other oil. Citrus oils are often cold-pressed from the peels of the fruit; these can be mildly irritating to the skin. Stick to using these in room sprays or diffusers. Steam distilled citrus oils, often made from the leaves or flowers of the citrus trees (like Neroli, Petitgrain, or Mandarin Petitgrain - an especially nice oil for young ones) can safely be used in topical applications like massages and baths. All these oils are known as antidepressants, and might just lift your mood as well as your child's (not to terrible of a side effect!)
Tea Tree essential oil is highly regarded as a natural antiseptic for cuts and scrapes. Once a wound is washed, it may be covered with a Band-Aid which has a drop of Tea Tree placed on the gauze. Tea Tree may be a bit strong to apply directly to the injury, though when mixed with equal parts of Lavender, Tea Tree will prevent infection while the Lavender will relieve pain and actually speed wound healing. A few drops of the Tea Tree/Lavender mixture can be added to a warm cup of water to use as a cleansing wash. An effective, home made antiseptic spray can also be made: use 2 ounces water, 1/2 half ounce rubbing alcohol, 8 drops Lavender, 12 drops Tea Tree and 8 drops Roman Chamomile. Shake vigorously and store, shaking again before each use. Tea Tree is considered a 'universal antiseptic', with a great many more uses in first aid and around the home.
This is just a start at incorporating the magic of essential oils into your children's lives. Safe, natural and effective means of supporting their health and wellness is always welcome. There are a great many more oils, many with profound healing effects. Particularly with children, start slowly - your nose might tell you when you've had just the right amount of aromatherapy, but children may not be able to express this. And where one child may not respond particularly to a certain oil, another will be entranced by the same aroma. There are many wonderful books available for the beginning aromatherapist with oodles of oil descriptions and recipes. Experiment, be creative and have fun!
Is there more that interests you? For a great educational resourse, browse to www.AnandAapothecary.com.
