How To Use Essential Oils With Children
Many parents wonder if essential oils are safe to use for children, and the answer is a resounding yes! There are some important factors to consider, before using essential oils with children.
- do they have any health conditions
- taking prescription medication
- skin conditions
- epilepsy or asthma
If your child experiences epilepsy, avoid stimulating oils: Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis), Sweet fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Sage (Salvia officinalis), Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora).
If your child experiences epilepsy, use calming oils: Camomile roman (Anthemis nobilis), Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Jasmine (Jasminum officinale), Petitgrain (Citrus aurantium), Neroli (Citrus aurantium), Rose otto (Rosa damascena), Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens). (Valerie Ann Worwood)
If any of the above apply to you or your child, speak with your trained healthcare specialist, or by researching for yourself what essential oils will benefit your family the most.
Essential oils have been used for centuries, to heal and balance the health and wellbeing of generations, so are a long-standing powerful remedies that can support the health and wellbeing for your entire family.
Safety First
A few useful safety tips to be mindful of
- always supervise essential oils around your children
- keep essential oils (pure & diluted) out of the reach of children
- store in glass containers, as essential oils draw toxins in from their environments, and glass is the most inert material for storage
- use fewer drops with children (recommendations below)
Different Ways To Use Essential Oils For Children
- Inhalation
- Diffusing
- Massage: diluting with a carrier oil, and massaging your hand, feet, back, whole body – avoiding eye area, and sensitive membrane skin areas
- Bath – ensuring you use dilute with a carrier oil before adding to bath
- Shower
- Adding a drop to their clothes
Note: if you accidentally apply too many drops of an essential oil to your body, or it is too strong/hot and causing redness or feeling uncomfortable on the body, use a plain carrier oil (coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil etc.) to dilute the essential oil, rather than using water.
Safe Essential Oil Dilution Quantities For Children
As children have such a variation in age and size, it is important to use the correct quantity of essential oil with them. Use the table of information below guide you to use the correct quantity and safe essential oils for age groups.
Regardless if you are a child or adult, it is always advised to start with the least amount of drops, and slowly increase drop by drop (within the recommended range for the age group). You may need to increase the quantity, if they are particularly unwell, hyper anxious, or have a larger body mass.
Use different essential oils on alternate days, to ensure the body continues to positively react to the healing plant bio-chemicals. Try using essential oils, every other day for 8 days, and then give 7-10 off as a break, for their bodies to balance and integrate the effects of the essential oils. If you so your body continues receiving the positive benefits, without overuse causing the body to diminish its reactions, and to avoid becoming allergic to one essential oil by using it every single day for prolonged periods of time.
“Essential oils are flammable, and should not be used in any way that involves close proximity to a naked flame or similar fire hazard. Essential oils are not explosive, and they are safe when used in a diffuser, but there is some degree of risk. Burners that are lit with a candle flame are not recommended, but fragrant candles are safe.” by Tisserand Institute
The below dilution ratio recommendations – reference: Valerie Ann Worwood.
Diffusing Essential Oils:
This is a fantastic way to experience ambient inhalation, and also a gentle method to purify the quality of air inside the home; especially during months when you limit opening your windows.
Essential oil dependant per age*
Ages & Drops:
Up to 2 year: 1-2 drops
2-5 years: 1-3 drops
6-10 years: 1-4 drops
+11 years & older: 1-5 drops
Aromatherapy Oil/Body balm:
Newborn: ideal to use sweet almond oil for a plain massage OR sparingly: 0-1 drop
2-6 months: 1-2 drops
6-12 months: 1-3 drops
1-4 years: 1-5 drops
5-7 years: 3-6 drops
8-12 years: 5-9 drops
12 years and older: 5-10 drops
Start massaging from their feet, and gently rub the body balm up your body, towards the head. Avoid sensitive skin/membrane areas (close to eyes and private areas).
This is a fantastic way to bond with your child and promote safety and security between you both.
Bath:
Blend and dilute the age dependant essential oil drops below, with 2 x teaspoons/10ml of carrier oil (sweet almond oil. Add the blend just before they get in the bath, and keep the door shut to keep the essential oil aroma in the room.
Newborn – 6 months: 1 drop + 10ml carrier oil = use 1/4 of this mixture in bath.
6 months – 2 years: 1 drop + 10ml carrier oil = use 1/2 of this mixture in bath.
2-5 years: 1-2 drop + 10ml carrier oil = use 1/2 of this mixture in bath.
6-10 years: 1-3 drops + 10ml carrier oil = pour entire quantity into the bath.
11 years & older: 1-3 drops + 10ml carrier oil = pour entire quantity into the bath.
Ensure you disperse the mixture before you get into your bath. Soak for a maximum of 20 minutes.
For an extra purifying and restorative bath, include a cup of epsom salts or magnesium flakes, to support achey and tired muscles.
Shower:
5 years and older: add 1-2 drops to a dry flannel, then wet thoroughly before rubbing the body, whilst the shower is running.
Only use chamomile, lavender & geranium rose essential oils, for this method.
Avoid applying directly to face/eye area and delicate membrane/genital areas.
Foot Baths:
Fill a large bowl with warm water that is a comfortable temperature + add diluted blend using age guide below, and swish around with hand, before they put their feet in.
2-5 years: 1 drop
6-10 years: 1-2 drops
11 years and older: 1-3 drops
Ensure you disperse the mixture before putting your feet into your bath. Soak for a maximum of 20 minutes. Massage the oils into your feet, for extra relaxation and restoration.
For an extra purifying and restorative bath, include a cup of epsom salts or magnesium flakes.
Clothing / Bedtime clothes:
Add 1 drop
Many essential oils can stain clothing, so be prepared for material stains, if you wish to choose this method.
Add the undiluted essential oil to socks, bottom of shorts, trousers, skirts, dresses, sleeves, collar to uplift your emotions or use to repel insects. If you want to keep insects away from your head, apply a drop to a hairband, scarf, hat.
Inhalation:
Tissue/Handkerchief: 2 years and older: 1-2 drops
Pillow: 6 months & older: 1-2 drops
PJ’s: 6 months & older: 1 drop
Be aware that some essential oils may stain fabric, placing a drop under the collar or on an older piece of clothing.
Safe Essential Oils to Use for Children – Age Dependant
Newborn: chamomile roman, chamomile german, lavender, mandarin, dill.
2-6 months: chamomile roman, chamomile german, months lavender, mandarin, dill, eucalyptus radiata, neroli, tea tree, geranium, rose otto.
7 months – 1 years: chamomile roman, chamomile german, months1 lavender, mandarin, dill eucalyptus year radiata, neroli, tea tree, geranium, rose otto, palmarosa, petitgrain, niaouli, tangerine, cardamom.
2 – 5 years: chamomile roman, chamomile german, lavender, mandarin, dill, eucalyptus radiata, neroli, tea tree, geranium, rose otto, palmarosa, petitgrain, niaouli, tangerine, cardamom, thyme linalol, ginger, lemon, grapefruit, ravensara, ormenis flower, coriander, helichrysum, yarrow.
6 – 8 years: camomile roman, camomile german, lavender, mandarin, dill, eucalyptus radiata, neroli, tea tree, geranium, rose otto, palmarosa, petitgrain, niaouli, tangerine, cardamom, thyme linalol, ginger, lemon, grapefruit, ravensara, ormenis flower, coriander, helichrysum, yarrow, bergamot, marjoram, eucalyptus, citriodora, myrtle, pine, ho-wood, myrrh, spikenard, orange.
9 – 11 years: chamomile roman, chamomile german, lavender, mandarin, dill, eucalyptus radiata, neroli, tea tree, geranium, rose otto, palmarosa, petitgrain, niaouli, tangerine, cardamom, thyme linalol, ginger, lemon, grapefruit, ravensara, ormenis flower, coriander, helichrysum, yarrow, bergamot, marjoram, eucalyptus, citriodora, myrtle, pine, ho-wood, myrrh, spikenard, orange, frankincense, cypress, melissa, elemi, ylang ylang.
(Reference: Valerie Ann Worwood)
Child essential oil dilution age range:
Up to 3 months: 0.1-0.2%
3 – 24 months: 0.25-0.5%
2 – 6 years: 1-2%
6 – 15 years: 1.5-3%
15 years or older: 2.5-5%
Reference: https://tisserandinstitute.org/safety-guidelines/
Enjoy the power of essential oils for you and your family, to improve your beloveds physical, mental, emotional and spiritial wellbeing.
We highly suggest that you use organic, theapeutic grade essential oils, to heal and nourish your family. As you can see, a little can go a very long way, and it is worth investing in quality products, to get quality outcomes.
If you are looking for therapeutic grade single oils or another blend that you can not find here at 108 Healing Senses, head over to our lovely friend at https://wildasthewind.com to support you and your family.