Essential Oils should be handled in the same manner as other products that can pose potential dangers if mistreated. They should be stored in in an area that is cool, dark, and out of the reach of children, and they should be used in accordance with their instructions and expiry dates.
Oil Massage
How to:
Make sure that oil removal products are easily accessible. These include a Carrier Oil, lotion or cream, any other product that can help dilute the Essential Oil without further causing the oil to irritate the skin, and a soft cloth.
The parent should rub the diluted Essential Oil between the palms in order to gently warm it before massaging the child.
When massaging the oil into a child’s skin, do so lightly – applying only enough pressure to gently stimulate the skin.
When massaging a child, begin with the legs. When massaging the chest and belly, use light outward strokes that start at the center and spread gently toward the sides or the shoulders. Further research on child massage techniques is highly recommended.
Benefits:
Reputed to encourage and help advance child’s development, such as weight gain, emotional balance, and emotional connection with the parent.
Reputed to reduce irritability
Reputed to encourage deep, sound, quality sleep and to reduce minimize sleeplessness
Cautions:
Never apply Essential Oils to a child’s face; if the goal is to clear congestion, simply apply a diluted Essential Oil to the soles of the congested child’s feet or diffuse briefly
Always select Essential Oils that are 100% pure and, whenever possible, select ones that are Certified Organic to avoid exposure to harmful chemicals that could sometimes be used in the cultivation of the source botanical.
A generally effective massage method is to apply a diluted Essential Oil on to the child’s feet rather than directly into the skin of the rest of the body.
Warm Bath
How to:
Blend Essential Oils with Carrier Oils, salts, or Glycerin before incorporating them in a bath (Carrier Oils dilute the Essential Oils, bath salts disperse them in water, and Glycerin solubilizes them in water).
Benefits:
A bath with Essential Oils that are known to have soothing and comforting effects can help children fall asleep, if they are used near naptime/bedtime.
Cautions:
Always select Essential Oils that are 100% pure and, whenever possible, select ones that are Certified Organic to avoid exposure to harmful chemicals that could sometimes be used in the cultivation of the source botanical.
Dilute the Essential Oil well and use only those that are considered to be comparatively safe to use on a child’s skin.
Do not apply Essential Oil-infused bathwater to the face of a child.
Diffuser:
How to:
Use a water-based vaporizer
Use 1-3 drops of Essential Oil or the amount suggested by the diffuser manufacturer and diffuse intermittently – diffusing for 10 minutes then turning it off for 30 minutes
Alternatively, parents can apply an oil to their own hands or to a tissue or cloth and allow the scent to waft to the child.
Diffuse on the side of the room that is opposite the child.
Benefits:
Does not require skin contact with or long-term exposure to Essential Oils
Depending on oil used, can help to eliminate harmful airborne bacteria
Cautions:
Never use adult doses for children
Avoid using Essential Oils with strong, cooling, hot, or spicy aromas (e.g. Cinnamon, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Oregano, etc.) around children.
Ensure that the room remains well-ventilated and that there is an easy way out for a child that does not enjoy the smell or does not feel comfortable with the diffused oil.
Avoid diffusing Essential Oils inside a child’s bedroom and ensure that diffused oils are properly diluted.
Do not allow the diffuser to run non-stop or leave it on overnight.
If using Essential Oils near a child with or at risk of developing breathing difficulties, take extra precaution in the manner of application.
When introducing an Essential Oil to a child through diffusion, begin by testing a small amount of one oil at a time for a short amount of time to check for potential reactions; be aware that this trial period also poses potential harm for children with respiratory difficulties/ailments.
If Essential Oils are applied to any part of a child’s body that can end up in his/her mouth (e.g. foot, hand), ensure that this body part remains covered after application.
If a child states that he/she does not enjoy the scent of an oil, immediately stop using this oil.
Immediately turn off a diffuser and seek medical attention at the first sign of a stronger side effect, such as breathing difficulties, coughing, headache, nausea, vomiting, seizures, or unconsciousness
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