Aromatherapy and Children

Aromatherapy and Children is also a positive environment; a cool aromatic bath in a tub is always eagerly awaited by your children. Aroma-therapists have evolved many different concoctions that are safely used in our homes for our children. Many ailments and conditions that plague your growing children can easily be treated by aromatic essential oils. How ever, absolute care is needed in treating children with essential oils, although there are many numbers of safe ones, which are ready for use. If used in original concentration, oils may work adversely and cause skin burn and irritation. Most common dosage for children preferable would be one-third to one-half the adult dose, or a 1-percent dilution.

Chamomile, Melissa and fennel oils (edible) are usually used as massage oil, or taken as a refreshing herb tea. These oils are known to treat a variety of stomach aches, and reduce chances of stomachaches, tension, anxiety and hyper activity. Common problems like colic, gas pains, and nausea and food allergies are also treated by oils. A chamomile, fennel and Melissa herb tea with a sprinkling of licorice helps stop crying and fussing in infants with acute colic. Essential oils also used relieve muscle pain caused, during feeding. Herbal gripe water made from various herbs is still being used all over the world to get rid of colic pains. A soothing water mix contains fennel, chamomile, caraway, coriander and bitter orange peel, which are known to kill bacteria and relieve flatulence.

Most digestive problems are relieved by a simple stomach massage using one of the oils. Stomach Pain Relief Oil can be formulated as follows:

2 drops Roman chamomile
1 drop fennel
2 drops dill
1 drop Melissa
1 ounce carrier oil

Mix together and massage the stomach gently.

A suggested treatment for children before they sleep is a bath containing lavender and chamomile essential-oil. Most children just love taking aromatherapy baths, particularly if they have their own favorite personal blends. Highly Popular fragrances are orange, grapefruit and tangerine; all act antidepressants and relaxants. Nature's gentle but powerful relaxant teas such as Melissa, lavender and chamomile has those properties to calm a nervous, over excited child, relieve headaches and gently induce sleep.

Placing a cool cloth soaked with lavender on the forehead will give much needed relief from a headache, sleeplessness or over exertion. Frankincense is used as a vaporizer or as massage oil and is an effective agent reduces respiratory congestion or infection. Other safe essential oils for children include mandarin, marjoram, neroli, jasmine and petit grain. Tea of yarrow, catnip, peppermint and elder flower rare known to reduce the symptoms of measles, chicken pox or mumps; ginger with sprinklings of lemon juice is also proved to be very effective. The soreness and the acute pain of mumps are reduced by syrups and gargles prepared from teas of thyme, rosemary or sage. Antiviral oils made from Melissa and bergamot has proven effective against the mumps and chicken-pox viruses.

For teething pain in toddlers and young children, give chamomile tea and rub the gums gently with a little diluted clove oil on your finger.
The following formula may be used for swollen tonsils, mumps and other lymphatic swelling in the neck area:

Neck Wrap

2 cups warm water
8 drops lavender essential oil
Mix the water with the essential oil. When the water is still warm, dip a cloth in the water and wring it out to remove excess liquid. Wrap the cloth around the neck. Cover with a towel to retain the heat. Remove the cloth before it gets cold. Repeat as many times as you want to.

Steam Press

When children are tired with aching muscles, essential oils are known to relive the pain and soothe the fibers. Steam cloth press acts as an excellent agent for achieving this objective. Here is the method to make a steam cloth press:
Take a thick and clean towel. Heat the water to boiling point. Let it cool down a bit. Place a few drops of lavender or eucalyptus oil in to the water and mix thoroughly. Soak the towel completely. While hot squeeze and remove excess water. Place the wet towel on your child’s baked body and just smoothly press to release the solution. Repeat the procedure 3 or 4 times. This should relieve the pain in a few moments.

Essential oils are universal in nature, as they are known to work in every condition, in all times of the year. Essential oils prove very handy in times of distress and need; a few drops of essential oil are all needed to reduce the symptoms in children.