Question:
Hello. I have a 5 yr old boy and a 17 month old girl. Both of them are suffering from colds. I would like to use essential oils in conjunction with healthy nutrition to help them get better. What oils would you suggest and what would be the best way to use them? Thank you, Health Conscious Mom
Answer:
When my now thirty-something-year old children were young it seemed that runny noses and coughs were more the norm than the exception. And times have not changed.
Since you are keen on using the healing powers of nature to help your children, I would like to suggest that you consider Valerie Ann Worwood’s book, Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child, to have on hand as your children grow. It is a comprehensive, easy to understand reference and guide for parents and caregivers who are concerned about their children’s overall long-term health.
I encourage however that should you have any questions or doubt seek the advice of a qualified aromatherapist and always confer with the children’s pediatrician when you are using home-remedies.
Only some essential oils are suitable for children. The number of oils and their ratio of dilution increases as a child ages. The condition or situation to be treated also determines the selection of essential oil(s), the carrier or base oil and how it will be applied. The essential oils in this article are considered safe for healthy children who are between the ages of 18 months and 6 years old; however, I give recommended ratios of dilution for your daughter and your son based on their specific age.
As the first line of defense against the cold and flu, I suggest diffusing high quality essential oils with anti-infectious, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and antiseptic properties for air purification and to help treat stuffy noses and coughs. I love this wonderfully versatile ‘colds mix’ blend found in Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child (p 98). Into a glass container with an orifice reducer blend the following essential oils using the proportions indicated:
10 drops of Eucalyptus smithii essential oil or Eucalyptus radiata if you can’t find smithii10 drops of Ravensara aromatica essential oil5 drops Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) essential oil
3 drops of Lavendula angustifolia (true lavender) essential oil1 drop of Thymus vulgaris ct. linalool essential oil (If the thyme chemotype linalool is not available simply omit it from the recipe.)Three to five drops of this ‘colds mix’ blend is all you need in your diffuser. A diffusion period of 10 to 15 minutes per day (following the instructions of your specific diffuser) is generally all that is required. You may determine that twice per day is needed while your children are symptomatic. It is critical to remember that no matter how essential oils are used they are very potent. Overuse or overexposure increases the possibility of developing a sensitivity to the oils.
Your son is old enough to sniff a tissue onto which you have added 2 drops of the ‘colds mix’ blend. This will help to clear his stuffy nose and chest congestion.You can also use this blend diluted in a carrier (base) oil in your children’s bath water. Always, always dilute the blend in a carrier oil if it is going to come into contact with your children’s skin! And the less is more rule definitely applies here. For your daughter, blend 2 drops of ‘colds mix’ into 2 teaspoons (10 mL) of sweet almond oil and swirl into a tub of warm water. (You could use organic, cold pressed, virgin olive oil as the carrier oil however its strong smell may overpower the aroma of the essential oil blend.) For your son’s bath you can use up to 3 drops of ‘colds mix’ in 2 teaspoons of sweet almond oil.You can get even more mileage out of this blend by massaging the children’s upper chest and back, even the soles of their feet. Do a test patch first! Using a dilution of 1 drop of ‘colds mix’ in 2 teaspoons of sweet almond oil, apply a very small amount of the diluted blend on the inside of the children’s right or left bicep. If redness should occur within 10 to 15 minutes wash and rinse the area well with tepid to cool water and a mild skin cleanser. In this case do NOT proceed with the massage. If the children do not appear to have a reaction, before bed and first thing in the morning are great times for the massage.
While this blend was created for children, it will benefit the household overall as you and your living space will be ‘treated’ to the wonderful effects of nature’s precious plant essences.
Best wishes for successfully treating the coughs and sniffles!
