In my article Essential Oils Versus Perfume I discuss how synthetic perfumes are poisoning us, no matter our age. In this article I focus on the use of essential oils on and around babies and children, but I also touch upon the subject of synthetic fragrances and how they should be avoided by us all at all times…
It is no use protecting our children from the incorrect use of healing essential oils if we are still exposing them to all manner of toxic risks from synthetic fragrances within cleaning products, laundry detergents, air fresheners as well as perfumes and aftershaves.
Essential Oils Safety For Babies & Children
We can absorb essential oils and artificial fragrances, which contain a slew of toxic synthetic chemicals, through our skin.
We can even ingest them just by breathing them in.
It’s the essential oils and artificial, toxic fragrances, that we breathe in, which go directly into our brains, that can cause the severest damage.
Adulterated essential oils and synthetic perfumes can potentially cause neurotoxicity and even brain damage.
Essential oils need to be used in different ways for babies and children, during their years of development, up until fourteen years of age. Specific dosages for different age groups are detailed towards the end of this article.
Adulterated Essential Oils
Essential oils can be manifestly healing. However, even essential oils can be toxic.
Adulterated essential oils are often no better than synthetic perfumes. They can be highly toxic and are potentially carcinogenic, just like synthetic fragrances.
It is vital to buy your essential oils from a supplier you trust, who intends you to use your essential oils for therapeutic purposes.
A lot of essential oils bought online are dubious at best, and downright toxic at worst. I advise you to read the articles I’ve linked to within this section, alongside this one, before using essential oils for the first time, or using essential oils on your children.
Essential Oils Are Healing For Us All
Good quality essential oils, like Wild As The Wind Essential Oils, are incredibly healing and uplifting if used correctly.
I even recommend always having a minimum of six incredibly healing and disinfecting essential oils on hand within an Essential Oil First Aid Kit. BUT, and it’s a big but, I don’t advocate the use of essential oils until you know what you are doing!
Hopefully this article will clarify a lot of what you need to know about using essential oils, thereby giving you the confidence to use them in a healing and helpful way.
Essential Oils Versus Unnatural Fragrances
Unnatural fragrances are in everything. It is advisable to use a fragrance-free laundry detergent, as well as dispensing with your chemical cleaning agents in preference for green, safe cleaning products, that work better and are a fraction of the cost of the highly toxic alternatives.
I would, of course, also advise all new parents to refrain from wearing heavily toxic perfumes and aftershaves, as well as perfumed cosmetics etc.
Obviously things like artificial air fresheners etc, are a big no-no as well.
We have a good understanding, these days, that a lot of the ingredients in synthetic fragrances are extremely toxic. Many of the toxins used in products which use synthetic fragrances are neurotoxic and cause nerve damage.
***In plain English this means synthetic fragrances poison our brains and damage our nervous systems.
If this is happening to adults, just imagine what synthetic fragrances and adulterated essential oils are doing to your developing child!
Essential Oil Use From Newborns to Fourteen Year Olds
Specific dosages for all of the different age groups of your children and babies are detailed in the following sections.
New Born Babies
Do not use essential oils directly on new born babies, no matter how diluted, until they are at least six months old. And then, only use extremely well diluted essential oils, in a good organic carrier oil, very sparingly, whilst your child’s immune system develops.
New born babies navigate the world by their sense of smell, which can be negatively affected by all manner of fragrances, including the best of the bunch, essential oils.
Essential oils, whilst not being toxic in the way that a lot of pretty sinister unnatural, synthesised fragrances and perfumes are, can still be overwhelming for new born babies and infants.
In addition, new born baby skin can be damaged by essential oils, as it can be through the use of toxic chemicals in their environment, particularly on the skins of care givers!
Infants Of 6 Months To 12 Months
Babies love massages and essential oils can be incorporated into heavily diluted massage oils at this age, in very small amounts.
Try not to use the same massage oil daily. There is no need to use oils on a baby’s delicate skin every day, but, if you are going to use a massage oil almost daily, make sure you use different essential oil each day. So, one day use Frankincense Essential Oil and the next day Geranium Essential Oil, and the day after that Chamomile Essential Oil etc, ad infinitum…
The more you get to know the subtle uses of essential oils you can select the most appropriate essential oils to use with your baby, based on their mood and whether they are under the weather or not…
Frankincense Essential Oil and Chamomile Essential Oil are brilliant for calming your baby, and Manuka Essential Oil, Ravensara Essential Oil and Tea Tree Essential Oil are ideal if there’s bacterial or viral infection going around etc…
For therapeutic benefits to be conferred onto your baby, simply rub your heavily diluted essential oil based massage oil into the base of your children’s feet. Massage oils can be used all over the limbs, back and front of the body also.
Avoid using massage oils on delicate areas, and the face.
One of the most common issues with babies is nappy rash. But, rather than using a massage oil to deal with it, a simple Hydrosol can be very helpful. For example, a couple of sprays of Lavender Hydrosol can be useful for this, making sure your baby’s skin is perfectly dry before putting on another nappy.
This means using the following essential oils in a good organic carrier oil at a dilution of 0.25% or less.
- Copaiba Essential Oil
- Coriander Seed Essential Oil
- Frankincense Essential Oil
- Geranium Essential Oil
- German Chamomile Essential Oil
- Lavender Essential Oil
- Mandarin Essential Oil
- Manuka Essential Oil
- Palmarosa Essential Oil
- Ravensara Essential Oil
- Roman Chamomile Essential Oil
- Organic Sweet Orange Essential Oil
- Tea Tree Essential Oil
- Thyme linalool Essential Oil
Certain essential oils have different ‘chemo types’ dependent on where and how the plants used in making the essential oils are grown.
Chemo type simply means the chemical type of essential oil, which is determined by the chemical prominence of certain constituents within the essential oil. Where Thyme Essential Oil is concerned we can find Thyme linalool Essential Oil and Thyme thymol Essential Oil.
You don’t need to know all about the chemistry applicable to these constituents, you just need to know which chemo type of essential oil you are using, ensuring it is appropriate to your children’s age group(s).
Babies 12 Months To 24 Months
By 12 months to 24 months a baby’s skin is fully formed and essential oils can be used to reduce baby constipation and coughs.
But, some of the very popular, and very pungent essential oils are not appropriate for this age group.
For example, both Peppermint Essential Oil and Eucalyptus Essential Oil are popular choices for cough, colds and flu, but are only advised for children over two years of age, and then only advisedly… as a back rub in a very weak dilution etc.
Oils that are great for this age group are…
Frankincense Essential Oil is great for stuffy noses and works well with allergies and Asthma as it is an anti-inflammatory.
Tea Tree Essential Oil can be used as an anti-bacterial and anti-viral and to boost your toddler’s immune system.
If you choose to use essential oils on your baby, use a maximum dilution of 0.5%.
Toddlers 2 Years to 6 Years
When your child hits the toddler years, it becomes safer to use oils on and around them.
But, when using oils on your toddler, it’s best to stick with a maximum dilution of 0.5%.
Essential oils are fantastic for healing the skin, calming toddler tantrums, and easing coughs.
Tea Tree Essential Oil is great for cleaning wounds. It is anti-viral, antibacterial and anti-fungal.
Geranium Essential Oil is fantastic for wound healing and diminishing scars.
This is also the age when children are exposed to more germs and viruses that will cause colds, flu, coughs, and congestion, so Manuka Essential Oil, Ravensara Essential Oil and Tea Tree Essential Oil are going to be some of your preferred oils during this phase.
Kids 6 Years To 12 Years
As your children grow their bodies can handle slightly stronger dilutions.
Children aged between 6 to 12 years old can begin using a maximum dilution of 1%.
Teens 12 Years to Adult
Teens and pre-teens are prone to Acne & oily skin, especially in this modern world where synthetic Oestrogens, or Xenoestrogens, are everywhere.
***Read the cutting-edge information on hormones in the Wild As The Wind Blog
FACIAL OIL No. 2 is great for Acne as is FACIAL OIL No. 8. Both have been developed to be anti-Acne as well as healing scars and being very anti-ageing.
Allergies are very much on the increase also. But, ensuring your child has good gut health will avert a lot of allergies.
***Gut health is vital for our overall health. Poor gut health will result in Acne and other skin conditions like Eczema and Psoriasis.
Start increasing the maximum essential oil dilution ratio to 2% for 12 years and above.
Dilution Ratios
There’s 20 drops of essential oil to 1ml
There’s roughly 230 drops of oil to a tablespoon.
1% dilution = 3 drops of essential oil to a tablespoon of carrier oil
0.5% dilution = 3 drops to 2 tablespoons of carrier oil
0.25% dilution = 1drop of essential oil to 2 tablespoons of carrier oil
Using Essential Oils With Confidence
It doesn’t take much to gain a good basic understanding of using essential oils. Following the links on this page will provide you with a solid basic understanding on how to use essential oils, as well as a solid understanding regarding the critical basics of good health.
But, the rule of thumb has to be if you are unsure… Use less if in doubt!
Essential Oils Are Potent
Essential oils are very potent. You can gain lots of benefits from very small amounts.
Disclaimer
The information provided is not intended to replace the medical directives of your healthcare provider. This information is not meant for the diagnosis of health issues. If you are pregnant, have serious or multiple health concerns, consult with your healthcare provider before using essential oils or associated products. If you experience any complications or adverse reactions contact your healthcare provider.
Deepen your knowledge by using the Wild As The Wind Recommended Resources
Another resource you may find useful can be found by following the link below. *Please note, I use sources from the Recommended Resources list as well as sources from the Healthcare and Skincare Information Sources list when researching articles for the Wild As The Wind Blog.
Best Healthcare and Skincare Information Sources.
Wild As The Wind use a number of resources when deciding which essential oil formulas to put together for optimal healing and efficacy, as well as to support any health claims we may make.
We owe a particular debt to GreenMedInfo, and, of course, the teachings of Penny Price.
Other resources include:
PubMed.
Robert Tisserand
Dr. Robert Pappas
AromaWeb
Dr. Josh Axe
Dr. Eric Zielinski
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