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Which essential oils are suitable for babies?
For babies, essential oils are both allies… and potential dangers. Indeed, these (very) active substances are sometimes allergenic or irritating.
No essential oils for three months
The first thing to know is that essential oils are strictly prohibited in self-medication for newborns, until they are three months old. They are at this time too young to be exposed to these active substances.
This does not mean that they are never used. Thus, in the hospital for example, the essential oil of vanilla used to perfume the incubators improves the respiratory rate of premature babies.
Which essential oils for toddlers?
Some essential oils are known to be very gentle, and therefore usable even in very small children. Here they are :
– To fight against small infections of the respiratory tract
A cold quickly turns into bronchiolitis in toddlers. Certain essential oils can kill germs and support the immune system : Tea-tree, Ravintsara, Niaouli and Eucalyptus radiated (be careful not to be mistaken, certain essential oils of eucalyptus are prohibited for children).
— To calm, de-stress and invite to sleep : Roman Chamomile, Mandarin, Marjoram.
— For small skin wounds : Aspic lavender, especially against stings and burns and Rosewood against irritations.
How to use essential oils for babies?
The doses and routes of administration must obviously be adapted to more fragile organisms. To make regular use of aromatherapy, it is best to invest in a book on essential oils, such as “Caring for your children with essential oils” by Danièle Festy, and find a practitioner who knows about it.
Some very general rules must always be observed:
At most, you can use two drops of essential oil three times a day.
Never use pure on the skin: essential oils must always be diluted in a fatty substance before being applied, even in a bath.
Oral use (eating essential oil mixed with olive oil or sugar for example) is prohibited until the age of three.
How to use them?
The essential oils can be diffused in the air or be incorporated in vegetable oils for massages (macadamia, jojoba…). But we must remain vigilant about the quantities used and the frequency of their use. Be careful to follow the instructions for use. Do not hesitate to seek medical advice. With the advice of a professional, it is possible to use them in the form of suppositories, made by a pharmacist.
Marie-Eve Wilson-Jamin
Read also: How to use your essential oil?