My Final Paper

Now, the question still remains should we use oils on babies and young children? From what I have come to understand from my studies and my research, oils should really be the last option for the little ones. There are so many other options out there to choose from that are so much safer. Hydrosols are one of them where you’re using the same plants as the oils but they are perfectly safe, herbs and homeopathic pellets are another option that are safe for babies and young children.
There just isn’t enough research out there on how essential oils affect babies, I guess there just aren’t enough parents out there that are willing to put their babies into a research group 😉
Essential oils are volatile plant compounds, and even though naturally occurring they have chemical compounds that can affect the bodies systems in a major way. So, for little developing bodies with a more sensitive immune system the oils could have negative effects on them. Through steam distillation, cold pressing and other extraction methods the oils are released from various parts of the plant. The oils that come out of these plants are highly concentrated, making them highly potent. So, since the oils are marketed as all natural it is easy to assume that they’re completely safe to use.
As always when using oils there are some safety guidelines to consider, so when using on or around babies and young children one should be extra careful. Toxic exposure to oils has more than doubled in recent years, with 4 out of 5 cases being children (5)Some oils are just too potent for babies, so be sure you’ve done your research before using them on your babies. Oils should never be ingested by babies or children, essential oils are greatly overused, incorrect use of oils is common, oil quality and purity also are a factor when using them. When a decision has been made to use oils, knowing that you should not use oils on or around babies before the age of six months is important, after that use a diffuser for the oils. Avoid topical use until the age of two and be sure to take a break from the oils, and not have the diffuser running all day, for that can lead to systemic sensitization.
Another thing is to keep essential oils away from babies’ airways, and don’t use oils in a diffuser if the infant has asthma or if there’s a risk for asthma because of family history (6)
It has also been taught to people to put the oils on the bottom of the babies’ feet, but there is a concern there, babies tend to put their feet in their mouths. If the caretaker isn’t super vigilant the baby could accidentally ingest the oils, and cause injury to themselves.
The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians don’t recommend using oils on babies under 3 months, and if using oils according to NAHA dilute to 0.5-2.5 into sunflower, grapeseed, or coconut oil. But, 0.25 would be more appropriate dilution.