Essential Oils and Children

+ Photo does not include all suggested oils

As a mother, I am always worried about my boys’ physical health and emotional development. My husband and I spent many sleepless nights struggling to remedy aliments with ineffective treatments. I wish that someone had talked to me about oils sooner. We experienced sleep issues, colic, diaper rash, reflux, baby acne, cradle cap, and hand, foot, mouth disease. Those are just the issues we dealt with in the infant stages. Like every kid, once they started going to daycare and school they were exposed to other bacteria, fungi, and viruses. As their immune systems adjusted to these new pathogens they got sick and I did not have effective forms of treatment available.

Physical health is not my only concern. Mental and emotional health are always in the front of my mind because mental health disorders run in my family. That is an extreme example of what parents have to deal with though. Every parent, regardless of genetics, deals with temper tantrums, sadness, emotional upset, hyperactivity, and stress with their kids.

The good news is, essential oils are versatile and very gentle and therefore, can be used on children of all ages. See dilution chart below for young children. My kids love using the oils and I take it as an opportunity to teach them about self-care. 

Here are some suggestions on oils that you can use on your kiddos. Also check out the doTERRA Science Blog post about kids and oils (link below).

Single Oils

-  Lavender: all things calming (most used oil for children), soothes skin irritations

- Wild Orange: calming/uplifting, digestive support, sedative

- Frankincense: supports brain, mood, and wound healing*, grounding, balance mood

- Roman Chamomile: supports sense of calm and relaxation, sedative, diffuses negative thoughts/moods*
- Melalueca: cleanses skin and nails

Blends

- Serenity (Calming Blend): supports sense of peace and calm, lessens feelings of tension

- Balance (Grounding Blend): supports feeling grounded and stable

- DigestZen (Digestive Blend): supports digestion and elimination

- OnGuard (Protective Blend): boosts immune system*, natural anti-oxidant*

- InTune (Focus Blend): supports optimal focus and concentration
- Breathe (Respiratory Blend): maintains feeling of clear airways, minimizes effects of seasonal threats

Supplements

-          a2z Children's Chewable: food based vitamins and minerals

-          IQ Mega: liquid omega-3 supplement flavor with orange essential oil

Usage Tips

Children love to explore and learn and are naturally curious. This is a great opportunity to involve them in your use of essential oil and have them help you make personalized roller bottles for them. Allow them to smell the oils to build a sense of safety and tell them what the oil is used for. You will create a love of oils for them too!

-          Aromatic: Use oils at bedtime with a diffuser or smell the oils directly from a bottle. Older kids can have roller bottles in their backpack that they can use during the day to help them maintain focus and concentration.

-          Topical: When topically using oil on younger children (infants and toddlers), you always want to dilute them with a carrier oil such as fractionated coconut or almond oil and massage on back, stomach, or feet. With older child, you can apply oils directly onto their skin (NEAT), but you want to limit it to one or two drops. If they have any kind of skin reaction, then dilute the oils as necessary. See chart below for dilution recommendations.

Links:
Learn about more uses for the oils here
doTERRA Science Blog Article: Essential Oils and Kids
Purchase Essential Oils here

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

"Back to Basics" - Top Ten doTERRA Oil Blends - OnGuard

Today is day 12 of my "Back to Basics" series.





















On Guard (Protective) Blend

I know yesterday I said that Breathe was one of my favorite oil blends, which is true, but On Guard is my ABSOLUTE favorite! I love how is smells when we diffuse it. This blend contains clove, cinnamon, rosemary, wild orange, and eucalyptus (a species that can be taken internally, unlike the single oil). As I mentioned in my post last week, Clove oil scores the highest on the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) scale.* This scale measures the time and degree of free radical inhibition, which means this blend is PACKED full of antioxidants!*

This oil blend supports a healthy immune system,* provides a natural source of antioxidants,* promotes healthy circulation,* and provides an uplifting aroma. You can take this oil internally in an empty veggie capsule, as a "shot" in a tablespoon of water, in softgel form, or in beadlet form. Lastly, it can be used in an all-purpose cleaner (recipe in links below).

In my house, we use this blend aromatically, topically, and internally. I diffuse it just about every day because both my kids are in school and they bring home all sorts of germs! The chemical components of the various oils in this blend help to cleanse the air. Topically, I add a drop of oil to my toothbrush both day and night to maintain a healthy immune system* (a lot of which starts in your mouth and gut). I also make hand sanitizer for my dad to take to work and the main ingredient is On Guard. Whenever I need an immediate immune boost, I add one drop of On Guard to a tablespoon of water, gargle it for as long as I can and then swallow it.* I will also mix it with a carrier oil and apply to my kiddo's feet and necks when they need an immune boost.*



Like the Breathe collection, there are multiple doTERRA products that contain On Guard. First, of course, you have the oil itself, which is incredibly versatile. There are also softgels and beadlets, which are for oral (internal) use. You also have household cleaners such as a foaming hand wash, a concentrated cleaner, and a laundry detergent (LOVE). Lastly, there are throats drops and toothpaste.

On Guard Collection

When using On Guard topically, be sure to always dilute, especially when using on children.

Links:

doTERRA Product Page: On Guard
doTERRA Blog: DIY Cleansing Wipes with doTERRA On Guard Essential Oil
doTERRA Blog: DIY: On Guard Hand Cleansing Spray
doTERRA Blog: DIY: Make Your Own On Guard Hand Cleanser
doTERRA Blog: DIY: All Purpose Spray (MY FAVORITE!)
Buy On Guard here

Research:

Bentayeb, K., Vera, P., Rubio, C., & Nerin, C. (2014). The additive properties of Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assay: The case of essential oils. Food Chemistry, 148, 204 - 208. doi10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.10.037


BioSource Naturals. (n.d.). ORAC scale - A measurement of antioxidant capacity by the USDA and Tufts University. Retrieved on February 4, 2016 from http://biosourcenaturals.com/orac-value-of-essential-oils.htm

CAUTIONS: Possible skin sensitivity. Keep out of reach of children. If you are pregnant, nursing, or under a doctor’s care, consult your physician. Avoid contact with eyes, inner ears, and sensitive areas. 

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease