Aromatherapy can be used to treat childhood ailments such as colds, coughs, sleeping problems, nappy rash and even colic. Potent essential oils can be administered in a number of ways: through massage, bathing or inhalation. Effective blends of oils for these treatments can be created at home or by an experienced aromatherapist.
Aromatherapy Oil and Children – A Caution
Natural oils are extremely potent and powerful. Whilst they are safe to use in remedies and treatments, they should be used with extreme care. If in any doubt as to the safety of an essential oil or blend of oils, do not use and contact a professional aromatherapist.
- As a general rule, the following rules apply if using essential oils with toddlers and babies:
- Do not administer essential oils internally.
- Avoid the eye area or the mucous membranes. Flush eyes immediately if affected with sterile water and seek medical help immediately.
- Before using an essential oil blend, always perform a skin test 48 hours before use. Dab the skin of the inner elbow with a small amount of the diluted oil, cover with a plaster and leave. If irritation occurs, or if neat oil is ever spilt on a child’s skin, flood the area with vegetable oil.
- Never apply neat essential oil to the skin. Always blend in a child friendly carrier oil.
Blending Essential Oils
The amount of essential oil added to a carrier oil should always be less than for an adult. As a rule, there should be one part essential oil for 100 parts carrier oil. For babies, this would work out to be one drop of essential oil to 10ml of base oil.
If creating a blend that requires more than one type of essential oil, add one drop of each of the oils to a bottle and mix together. Then, take one drop of this blended mixture and add it to a base oil.
As always, if in any doubt consult a qualified aromatherapist.
Baby Friendly Aromatherapy Essential Oils
Not all essential oils are suitable for children, so only choose oils which are known to be child friendly. Good oils that are safe to use to treat a variety of infant complaints are:
- Roman Chamomile – for nappy rash, eczema, restlessness.
- Eucalyptus oil – for colds.
- Fennel oil – for colic and digestive problems.
- Lavender oil – for relaxation and skin care.
- Peppermint oil – for digestion and colic.
- Tea tree oil – for general skincare, nappy rash, coughs and colds.
Remember that aromatherapy remedies for children are no substitute for seeking medical help. Always seek advice from a professional before administering an aromatherapy remedy to a child.
Aromatherapy Treatments for Infants
There are a number of safe ways to administer essential oils to babies and toddlers. These include:
- Bathing. Add one drop of essential oil to a tablespoon of full fat milk before adding to the bath water and mixing thoroughly. Alternatively, add the oil to a carrier oil and massage into the skin before the bath. This is an excellent way of treating skin complaints or relaxing a child.
- Vaporisation. Add one drop of neat oil to an oil burner, diffuser or even a bowl of water or cloth on a radiator. This is useful for treating coughs and colds
- Massage. Mix the essential oil or oils into a safe base oil and apply to the child’s skin.
Babies and toddlers can benefit from aromatherapy. However, parents must use essential oils with caution. Use only oils that are suitable for children. When in doubt, it's always advisable to seek professional opinion before applying essential oil on infants.
Source:
Del Gaudio Mak, Marion. Aromatherapy – The Baby Book. Guildford, England: Amberwood Publishing Ltd, 2001.
Natasha Sheldon - A writer since 2000, Natasha Sheldon holds a BA Hons in ancient history and archaeology and MA in ancient history and historiography.
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