Although the use of aromatherapy is typically associated with adults,
children can also benefit from the healing and soothing powers of
aromatherapy. They are very attracted to different scents and love to
experience it through diffusion, baths, massage, inhalation, and even
topically.
Children particularly enjoy creating aromatic blends for their own use.
Whether creating a blend to help calm themselves at night, or helping to
identify the essential oils or blends to use on burns or wounds,
aromatherapy can be a fun way for children to participate in their
healing through an effective natural therapy.
There are few rules of thumb when it comes to aromatherapy for children.
First of all, since children are much more sensitive than adults, the
concentration of essential oils in their blends should be at least three
times less than adult blends. I also recommend that children under the
age of 5 should not use aromatherapy directly (bath or massage).
Instead, use the essential oils in a nebulizer and run it for just 10
minutes in the room. The other option is to use hydrosols or floral
waters instead of essential oils in their bath.
Children can safely use the following essential oils: Lavender, Roman
Chamomile, Orange, Lemon, Neroli, Rosemary, Eucalyptus, Grapefruit,
Marjoram, Dill, Cardamom, Rose, Basil and Melissa.
So what are the most common childhood ailments, and how can you safely
use aromatic blends on your children? Try creating the following recipes
at home for a natural healing alternative. To create these blends, pour your essential oils into a 10-ml bottle,
and fill will organic vegetable oil.
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Colds and Flu
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-2 drops Rosemary 1,8 cineole
-2 drops Eucalyptus
Rub blend on the chest and middle back. Add a few drops of the aromatic
blend to your child's warm bath water and let him/her soak for at least
15 minutes. Pour 4 drops of the aromatic blend on a tissue and have your
child breathe it in deeply.
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Wounds and Burns
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Dab 1 drop of pure, undiluted Lavender essential oil on the afflicted
area. Do it just once.
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Immune System Booster
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-2 drops Rosemary 1,8 cineole
-3 drops Ravensara
Massage the solar plexus and lower back, chest and middle back. Add a
few drops of the aromatic blend to your child's warm bath water and let
him/her soak for at least 15 minutes. Pour 4 drops of the aromatic blend
on a tissue and have your child breathe it in deeply.
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Sweet Dreams
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-1 drop Roman Chamomile
-2 drops Lavender
-2 drops Orange
This is a wonderful blend for story time! Massage the forehead and
temples, neck and back. Add a few drops of the aromatic blend to your
child's warm bath water and let him/her soak for at least 15 minutes.
*************
Toothaches
*************
-2 drops Roman Chamomile
Rub the essential oil directly on the cheek.
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Joy and Laughter
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-3 drops Orange
-2 drops Lemon
Massage the solar plexus and abdomen, friction the back. Pour 4 drops of
the aromatic blend on a tissue and have your child breathe it in deeply.
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Tummy Aches
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-2 drops Basil
-2 drops Dill
Massage the tummy clockwise with the blend as needed.
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Lack of Appetite
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-2 drops Cardamom
-2 drops Dill
Massage the solar plexus and abdomen. Pour 4 drops of the aromatic blend
on a tissue and have your child breathe it in deeply.
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Motion Sickness
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-4 drops Lemon
-1 drop Ginger
Massage the solar plexus. Pour 4 drops of the aromatic blend on a tissue
and have your child breathe it in deeply.
Note: Every reasonable care is taken over the information offered here,
however no responsibility or liability whatsoever will be taken for any
consequence relating directly or indirectly to any information,
treatment, or application of any recipes or tips presented herein.