Aromatherapy for Children

I thought this was interesting...Mistyhttp://www.searching-alternatives.comHolistic Aromatherapy for Childrenby Francoise RappLicensed Aromatherapist and Creator of Arom'AlchemyAlthough 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. Colds and Flu2 drops Rosemary2 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. Wounds and BurnsDab 1 drop of pure, undiluted Lavender essential oil on the afflicted area. Do it just once. Immune System Booster2 drops Rosemary3 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. Sweet Dreams1 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. Toothaches2 drops Roman ChamomileRub the essential oil directly on the cheek. Joy and Laughter3 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. Tummy Aches2 drops Basil 2 drops Dill Massage the tummy clockwise with the blend as needed. Lack of Appetite2 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. Motion Sickness4 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. Aromatherapy heals more than just common childhood ailments. It also has a great impact on the emotional and mental issues children face on a daily basis. Children have their own ways of dealing with stress and internal conflict. Some internalize their emotions and attempt to hide their thoughts and feelings. Others may become overly expressive or abnormally active. Many children simply don't know how to process their complex feelings. Unlike adults, children do not have the skills and the maturity to find healthy outlets for their emotions. Stresses in a child's family, school and social settings can contribute to any number of emotional issues, including guilt, loneliness, hyperactivity and neediness. Whatever situation your children may be facing, it is most important to emphasize communication, or share your concerns with a child therapist. I also encourage you to use one of the aromatic blends below to safely enhance the work of any therapy. In a 10ml bottle, pour the essential oils and then add any organic vegetable oil to fill (jojoba, sweet almond, grapeseed, etc.) Rejection Issues 2 drops Marjoram 1 drop Rose Massage along the spine, the solar plexus and heart chakra. Pour a few drops of the blend into your child's warm bath water and have him/her soak for at least 10 minutes. Pour a few drops in the palm of your hands and have your child inhale deeply. Guilt Issues2 drops Sandalwood 2 drops Orange 2 drops Lavender Massage along the spine, the solar plexus and abdomen. Pour a few drops of the blend into your child's warm bath water and have him/her soak for at least 10 minutes. Pour a few drops in the palm of your hands and have your child inhale deeply. Withdrawal NOTE: Avoid nighttime use. Do not use if your child is hyperactive.2 drops Lavender 1 drop Peppermint 1 drop RosemaryMassage the throat, neck and shoulders. Loneliness 1 drop Rose 1 drop Roman Chamomile2 drops Lavender Massage the solar plexus, abdomen and heart chakra. Pour a few drops of the blend into your child's warm bath water and have him/her soak for at least 10 minutes. Pour a few drops in the palm of your hands and have your child inhale deeply. Need for Attention2 drops Sandalwood 1 drop Rose 1 drop Bergamot 1 drop Marjoram Massage along the spine, the solar plexus, and heart chakra. Pour a few drops of the blend into your child's warm bath water and have him/her soak for at least 10 minutes. Pour a few drops in the palm of your hands and have your child inhale deeply. Overly Active1 drop Roman Chamomile 2 drops Lavender 2 drops Marjoram Massage along the spine and the solar plexus. Pour a few drops of the blend into your child's warm bath water and have him/her soak for at least 10 minutes. Pour a few drops in the palm of your hands and have your child inhale deeply. (c) Francoise Rapp, 2001. Discover the life-transforming power of aromatherapy! Internationally renowned aromatherapist and alchemist, Francoise Rapp, shares her expertise through aromatherapy classes designed for working adults and in her free weekly ezine, The Arom'Alchemy Newsletter. All this and more can be found at http://www.aromalchemy.com.