Using Essential Oils Safely on Children

Essential oils have a lot of amazing health benefits. This is why we always use them to aid relaxation, improve sleep, ease our aches, and ward of certain illnesses (1) while creating a relaxing environment around us. So, it’s not surprising to use these oils for our children too. When it comes to children It is important to understand the how to use essential oils safely on children,

As these oils are therapeutic and are used in aromatheraphy (2), these are excellent for childcare too. However, essential oils are very concentrated and it can cause skin irritation and damage despite sweet aroma (3). Thus, if you’re planning to buy oils for your kids, here’s how to use them safely:

Safe Oils for Kids

There are so many safe essential oils for kids and babies. This list not definitive though, but these are definitely easy to find in the markets as they are common:

• Basil – helps relax the body and lift the mood
• Bergamot – Has a clean and bright smell that uplifts the mood
• Black Pepper – soothes tired and aching muscles
• Chamomile – aids sleeping
• Citronella – excellent bug repellant (4)
• Dill Weed – helps digestion
• Frankincense – soothes bruises and cuts
• Juniper – supports the respiratory system
• Lavender – aids sleeping and reduces anxiety (5)
• Patchouli – promotes healthy skin
• Spearmint – calms digestion problems
• Tea Tree – helps clear acne
• Turmeric – soothes joint pains and helps reduce inflammation (6)
• Vanilla – provides a calming effect

There are more safe oils for children and babies that you can find as essential oils are generally safe to use. Just take note of how much oil you’re going to apply. Remember, some oils may be too strong for your children and babies, so always dilute them accordingly.

How to Apply Oils

Application is an important consideration to ensure you are using essential oils safely. There are a number of ways to apply oils to your children. But, never let your kids ingest them, so always keep the oils away and avoid bathing your toddlers with them because your baby might accidentally ingest them.

Instead, you can directly apply the oils on their skin by making a blend as. You can apply a small amount of oil on their feet, ear, neck, wrist, back, abdomen, temples, or where the affected area is (7) (except on sensitive areas.)

You can also spritz your essential oil mix in your kid’s room. They can benefit from the scent as long as you spray a minimal amount from your blend.

Use Carrier Oils When Required

As stated above, essential oils are strong. That’s why they need a carrier oil in order to mellow down their strong effects. Carrier oils are a must especially when you’re going to use a blend for your kid. So, here are some of the best carrier oils that you can use:

• Coconut Oil – a common carrier oil that has moisturizing and antimicrobial properties that’s great for the skin and hair (8)
• Black Cumin Seed Oil – earthy in smell, this carrier oil has antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties
• Jojoba Oil – excellent for treating acne and inflammation
• Evening Primrose Oil – sweet-smelling but goes rancid immediately due to high-fat content; great for treating skin problems like eczema
• Rosehip Oil – a great source of vitamin C and E; has high-fat content but great anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties
• Grapeseed Oil – generally used for massages because of its light and pleasant aroma

To dilute your essential oil, it’s recommended that you use (0.5%) 1 drop of essential oil and 1 tablespoon of carrier oil for babies and (1%) 1 drop of essential oil and 1 teaspoon of carrier oil for children. Check out the range of carrier oils by Rocky Mountain Oils here.

Dilution Rates

Diffusing Essential Oils for Kids

One effective way to use essential oils is to diffuse them. Diffusers can help disperse essential oil vapors in your room (9), so this means that you can get rid of any harmful bacteria, viruses, and bad odors in your home that may be dangerous to your kids.

To do this, add the blend to your diffuser, but make sure that your children or baby is not directly in line with the diffuser’s mist. Also, make sure that you’re going to diffuse the oil in a well-ventilated area within 30 to 60 minutes. And, lastly, always leave breaks so that you and your children can take a break from inhaling too much of the oil.

Safety Considerations When Using Oils on Children

The last thing that you should take note of is how to safely use these oils for your children. Do consider these tips:

• Open your doors or windows for ventilation.
• Don’t use too much oil as it may be too overpowering.
• Diffuse in 30-60 minute intervals.
• Use the suggested dilution rates before using the oil.
• When using the oils for baths, make sure that your baby or kid is not ingesting the bath water.
• Cool hot oils before applying; make sure it’s just warm and not burning hot.
• Avoid applying citrus oils before letting your children go out as this may result in skin irritation; caution is needed when you’re using skin-related products that have photosensitizing oils (10).
• Don’t apply oil on your baby or kid’s face, especially near the eyes, nose, and mouth. The safest spot to apply the oil is on the feet.

These are what you need to know when using essential oils for your children. As long as you take note of all the information provided above, your children can definitely benefit from them.

Want to try the purest and most cost-effective essential oils?

Rocky Mountain Kids Range

Essential Oils by Age

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Sources for this Article Include:

1. UPMC, Understanding the Benefits of Essential Oils. Link here.
2. Christian Nordqvist, Aromatherapy: What you need to know. 2017 Mar. Link here.
3. Chloe Metzger, 4 Essential Oils That Are Actually Really Irritating to Skin. Link here.
4. Sharma R, Rao R, Kuma S, Mahant S, Khatkar S, Therapeutic Potential of Citronella Essential Oil: a review. 2018 Jul. PMID: 30019646
5. Benjamun J. Malcolm, PharmD, MPH, Kimberly Tallian, PharmD, BCPP, FASHP, FCCP, FCSHP2, Essential Oil of Lavender in Anxiety Disorders: Ready for prime time? 2018 Mar. PMID: 29955514
6. Boca Raton (FL), CRC Press/Taylor & Francis, Herbal Medicine, 2^nd Edition. 2011. PMID: 22593937
7. Where to Apply Essential Oils: Everything You Need to Know about Safely Applying Essential Oils, A Begginer’s Guide to Essential Oils. Link here.
8. Coconut Oil, Harvard T.H. Chan. Link here.
9. Amanda MacMillan, How to Use Essential Oils During Cold and Flu Season – and the Best Ones to Buy. 02 Jan. Link here.
10. Do Essential Oils Really Cause Sunburn? The Truth Behind Photosensitivity. Link here.