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Can Essential Oils Be Given To A Child?
Question: Hi Drs,
Thanks for taking my queries!
1. Can I use the below essential oils on my 2.5 year old daughter who is a G6PD carrier? Topical application on isolated areas or inhaling for a short period of time.
A. Lavender
B. Something called Peace & Calming essential oil which contains: Tangerine (Citrus nobilis), orange (Citrus aurantium), ylang ylang (Cananga odorata), patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) and blue XXXXXXX (Tanacetum annuum). (https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/essential-oils/blends/peace-calming-essential-oil) For this I will dilute to 2 drops over 5ml vegetable oils or whatever is necessary.
2. Also, what are the safer ways to use essential oils on such small kids? Topical application on isolated areas, sniffing a few drops of oils on a tissue paper at close proximity for say 15-30 mins, or using a diffuser to diffuse diluted oils into the room for 15-30 mins?
Thanks a lot!
XXXXXXX
Thanks for taking my queries!
1. Can I use the below essential oils on my 2.5 year old daughter who is a G6PD carrier? Topical application on isolated areas or inhaling for a short period of time.
A. Lavender
B. Something called Peace & Calming essential oil which contains: Tangerine (Citrus nobilis), orange (Citrus aurantium), ylang ylang (Cananga odorata), patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) and blue XXXXXXX (Tanacetum annuum). (https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/essential-oils/blends/peace-calming-essential-oil) For this I will dilute to 2 drops over 5ml vegetable oils or whatever is necessary.
2. Also, what are the safer ways to use essential oils on such small kids? Topical application on isolated areas, sniffing a few drops of oils on a tissue paper at close proximity for say 15-30 mins, or using a diffuser to diffuse diluted oils into the room for 15-30 mins?
Thanks a lot!
XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Female carriers may or may not experience symptoms of G6PD deficiency
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
Female carriers may or may not experience symptoms of G6PD deficiency and unless she has any particular symptoms and unless specific reactions have already been demonstrated, chances are that she can try the medicines that are otherwise supposed to be dealt with precaution in case of people with G6PD deficiency. To be on the safer side, you might like to get the Blood G6PD levels checked.
What I am saying refers to medicinal ingredients that are used orally or in form of injections. About topical preparations like oils, there is less cause to worry about. There seems to be no specific problem with the oils that you have mentioned.
You can try applying the oils and unless she gets allergic reactions, you need not bother. You can use them safely. If allergic reactions are present, diluting will not help. If allergic reactions are not present, dilution is not required anyway.
Before trying to answer about the safest way to use the essential oils in case of your child, I would need to know why at all do you need to use them? If it is for the eczema she has, it needs to be applied directly to the skin and sniffing or diffusers would not really serve the purpose although there should be no problems if these are done.
Hope that helps.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
Female carriers may or may not experience symptoms of G6PD deficiency
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
Female carriers may or may not experience symptoms of G6PD deficiency and unless she has any particular symptoms and unless specific reactions have already been demonstrated, chances are that she can try the medicines that are otherwise supposed to be dealt with precaution in case of people with G6PD deficiency. To be on the safer side, you might like to get the Blood G6PD levels checked.
What I am saying refers to medicinal ingredients that are used orally or in form of injections. About topical preparations like oils, there is less cause to worry about. There seems to be no specific problem with the oils that you have mentioned.
You can try applying the oils and unless she gets allergic reactions, you need not bother. You can use them safely. If allergic reactions are present, diluting will not help. If allergic reactions are not present, dilution is not required anyway.
Before trying to answer about the safest way to use the essential oils in case of your child, I would need to know why at all do you need to use them? If it is for the eczema she has, it needs to be applied directly to the skin and sniffing or diffusers would not really serve the purpose although there should be no problems if these are done.
Hope that helps.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Ashwin Bhandari
Thank you so much Dr Das!!
We have her blood tested and I think what's happening is 1-2 out of the 12 related DNA / genes / chromosomes are defected, else are normal. (Something along this line pls excuse me for the lack of medical knowledge.) So I guess she can be treated as normal for now but we need to watch out in the future. When will she become more prone to showing G6PD symptoms, if she will at all?
To your question, I am appealed to essential oils purely because somebody said the oils I mentioned worked wonders for her small kids in terms of sleeping through the night. My daughter, at 2.5 years old now, has always been waking up at night, 1-2 times at least, with little exception since she's born. I tried almost everything - warm milk / bananas (?!) / all sorts of sleeping schedules / sleep training / not letting her nap / exhausting her - you name it. Nothing seems to be working consistently. I understand some kids are just like that but I am almost dying from dealing with the late nights so am desperate to find a solution. Yet at the same time I am concerned about the usage of essential oils, given that I can't find any research on any long term impact on the body nor how human bodies deal with the oils after we apply them on skin or inhale it. I just have no idea about these oils (completely new to them) and all I am hearing is how wonderful these oils are from commercial companies or people who seem to be blindly and extensively using them. That's why I am putting my questions here...
How does our body deal with these essential oils anyway after inhaling and applying onto our skin? Which way - inhaling or applying topically - do these essential oils get into our circulation more quickly?
These oils go into our circulation / brains and then how does our body (which organs) treat and eliminate these oils?
Is there any credible research at all about the below?
- one which proves that it's safe to use essential oils (except the forbidden ones) even if we start from such young age, say over people's lifetime? Do people use them over their whole life and the oils haven't had any negative impact in them?
- one which explains, credibly, the safe ways of using these oils, i.e. which oils are safe (separately for adults and kids), which oils are not safe (for adults and kids separately), how should we use the oil (apply topically/sniff/diffuse, how much dilution etc)?
All I am looking for, are:
1. to ensure that it's absolutely safe (i.e. it doesn't affect her in any negative way in the short-term and in the long-term) to use these oils on my daughter, given that I may have to use it every night for a long period of time (if it helps her sleeping and without it her sleeping becomes bad again), and
2. the safest ways to use the oils
3. which oils are ok for her and which oils are not
I understand essential oils may not be under a doctor's regime so I may be asking too much. But I believe I could get a much better insight into how I should look into these things from a good doctor like you, especially in a country where essential oils are very widely used, rather than just searching on the internet (which probably contains a lot of fraud information) myself. It would be much appreciated if you could share your opinions on these from a medical point of view.
Thanks a MILLION!
XXXXXXX
We have her blood tested and I think what's happening is 1-2 out of the 12 related DNA / genes / chromosomes are defected, else are normal. (Something along this line pls excuse me for the lack of medical knowledge.) So I guess she can be treated as normal for now but we need to watch out in the future. When will she become more prone to showing G6PD symptoms, if she will at all?
To your question, I am appealed to essential oils purely because somebody said the oils I mentioned worked wonders for her small kids in terms of sleeping through the night. My daughter, at 2.5 years old now, has always been waking up at night, 1-2 times at least, with little exception since she's born. I tried almost everything - warm milk / bananas (?!) / all sorts of sleeping schedules / sleep training / not letting her nap / exhausting her - you name it. Nothing seems to be working consistently. I understand some kids are just like that but I am almost dying from dealing with the late nights so am desperate to find a solution. Yet at the same time I am concerned about the usage of essential oils, given that I can't find any research on any long term impact on the body nor how human bodies deal with the oils after we apply them on skin or inhale it. I just have no idea about these oils (completely new to them) and all I am hearing is how wonderful these oils are from commercial companies or people who seem to be blindly and extensively using them. That's why I am putting my questions here...
How does our body deal with these essential oils anyway after inhaling and applying onto our skin? Which way - inhaling or applying topically - do these essential oils get into our circulation more quickly?
These oils go into our circulation / brains and then how does our body (which organs) treat and eliminate these oils?
Is there any credible research at all about the below?
- one which proves that it's safe to use essential oils (except the forbidden ones) even if we start from such young age, say over people's lifetime? Do people use them over their whole life and the oils haven't had any negative impact in them?
- one which explains, credibly, the safe ways of using these oils, i.e. which oils are safe (separately for adults and kids), which oils are not safe (for adults and kids separately), how should we use the oil (apply topically/sniff/diffuse, how much dilution etc)?
All I am looking for, are:
1. to ensure that it's absolutely safe (i.e. it doesn't affect her in any negative way in the short-term and in the long-term) to use these oils on my daughter, given that I may have to use it every night for a long period of time (if it helps her sleeping and without it her sleeping becomes bad again), and
2. the safest ways to use the oils
3. which oils are ok for her and which oils are not
I understand essential oils may not be under a doctor's regime so I may be asking too much. But I believe I could get a much better insight into how I should look into these things from a good doctor like you, especially in a country where essential oils are very widely used, rather than just searching on the internet (which probably contains a lot of fraud information) myself. It would be much appreciated if you could share your opinions on these from a medical point of view.
Thanks a MILLION!
XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
The only effective way to use essential oils is by inhalation
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
I have gone carefully through the questions that you have asked. Let me mention the issues one by one.
1. Very small amount (if any) of the essential oils penetrate the skin when applied topically. There is definite credible research to prove this. Please go through http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/0000
2. When essential oils are inhaled, the molecules reach the olfactory mucous membrane and stimulate the thousands of receptors that identify the smell. The primary action is thought to be due to the relaxing effect of the smell of the essential oils. It is not due to absorption into blood stream.
3. Studies show that taking essential oils internally is the least effective way to absorb their therapeutic properties.
4. As far as safety is concerned, only trace amount is absorbed. That too by inhalation. I do not suppose any harms would result.
5. It is not my domain to comment on which oils are to be given, if at all.
6. I have not come across any credible study with regards to safety of essential oils in children. But on a logical note, I do not suppose them to be unsafe to be used.
7. Dilution of the oils is not likely to be of much help.
Hope that helps.
If you found my answer to be helpful, please close the thread with a positive review and a 5 star rating.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
The only effective way to use essential oils is by inhalation
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
I have gone carefully through the questions that you have asked. Let me mention the issues one by one.
1. Very small amount (if any) of the essential oils penetrate the skin when applied topically. There is definite credible research to prove this. Please go through http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/0000
2. When essential oils are inhaled, the molecules reach the olfactory mucous membrane and stimulate the thousands of receptors that identify the smell. The primary action is thought to be due to the relaxing effect of the smell of the essential oils. It is not due to absorption into blood stream.
3. Studies show that taking essential oils internally is the least effective way to absorb their therapeutic properties.
4. As far as safety is concerned, only trace amount is absorbed. That too by inhalation. I do not suppose any harms would result.
5. It is not my domain to comment on which oils are to be given, if at all.
6. I have not come across any credible study with regards to safety of essential oils in children. But on a logical note, I do not suppose them to be unsafe to be used.
7. Dilution of the oils is not likely to be of much help.
Hope that helps.
If you found my answer to be helpful, please close the thread with a positive review and a 5 star rating.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Thanks a lot Dr Das!
You said dilution is unlikely to help. I guess what you meant is if we topically apply the same amount of oil, say 2 drops, at one time, our body is getting a total of 2 drops anyway whether it's diluted or not. So the dosage is the same, and if our skin is allergic to the oil as long as it's presence allergic reactions would appear. Is that right?
But if I dilute that 2 drops into say 10ml of vegetable oils, the smell is immediately weaker. So wouldn't the effect of sniffing from diluted 2 drops of oil be weaker than if we sniff from just the 2 drops of oil?
Separately, my daughter is a G6PD carrier with 1-2 out of the 12 relevant genes defected, I want to know what it actually means. Does it mean that she may get more and more genes defected, or those 1-2 defected genes can become more and more dominant later into her life, in which case she would develop G6PD later? If so roughly at what age would that happen? Or she could also stay relatively normal? Are there any precautions we need to take to avoid her showing G6PD symptoms?
Thanks a lot!
XXXXXXX
You said dilution is unlikely to help. I guess what you meant is if we topically apply the same amount of oil, say 2 drops, at one time, our body is getting a total of 2 drops anyway whether it's diluted or not. So the dosage is the same, and if our skin is allergic to the oil as long as it's presence allergic reactions would appear. Is that right?
But if I dilute that 2 drops into say 10ml of vegetable oils, the smell is immediately weaker. So wouldn't the effect of sniffing from diluted 2 drops of oil be weaker than if we sniff from just the 2 drops of oil?
Separately, my daughter is a G6PD carrier with 1-2 out of the 12 relevant genes defected, I want to know what it actually means. Does it mean that she may get more and more genes defected, or those 1-2 defected genes can become more and more dominant later into her life, in which case she would develop G6PD later? If so roughly at what age would that happen? Or she could also stay relatively normal? Are there any precautions we need to take to avoid her showing G6PD symptoms?
Thanks a lot!
XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Dilution immaterial for topical application
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
By saying that dilution does not matter, I meant that for topical application and not for sniffing. I have have no such recommendation for the purpose of sniffing. Unless she is allergic to some oil, there should be no problem in using them.
Each of our cells carry a pair of genes for the same trait. One comes from the mother and the other from father. There are a number of genes involved in coding for the enzyme G6PD. If one of the genes of the pair is normal, the gene function is not likely to be affected but there is possibility of passing the defective gene onto her next generation. So, I do not really expect her to have any problems but unless she marries a G6PD deficient person, her daughter could at most be a carrier but is not likely to suffer from G6PD deficiency.
There is no specific age when changes are expected. In fact, I am not expecting any problems in her and suppose her to remain relatively normal. No precautions suggested apart from general health and hygiene.
Hope that helps.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
Dilution immaterial for topical application
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
By saying that dilution does not matter, I meant that for topical application and not for sniffing. I have have no such recommendation for the purpose of sniffing. Unless she is allergic to some oil, there should be no problem in using them.
Each of our cells carry a pair of genes for the same trait. One comes from the mother and the other from father. There are a number of genes involved in coding for the enzyme G6PD. If one of the genes of the pair is normal, the gene function is not likely to be affected but there is possibility of passing the defective gene onto her next generation. So, I do not really expect her to have any problems but unless she marries a G6PD deficient person, her daughter could at most be a carrier but is not likely to suffer from G6PD deficiency.
There is no specific age when changes are expected. In fact, I am not expecting any problems in her and suppose her to remain relatively normal. No precautions suggested apart from general health and hygiene.
Hope that helps.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
Thanks dr XXXXXXX
My last question. U have heard of essential oils poisoning which caused serious issues in the sufferer and in rare cases death. What can cause essential oils poisoning apart from ingesting too much of the oils? Can applying too much or inhaling too much oils cause that too?
Thanks a tonne!
XXXXXXX
My last question. U have heard of essential oils poisoning which caused serious issues in the sufferer and in rare cases death. What can cause essential oils poisoning apart from ingesting too much of the oils? Can applying too much or inhaling too much oils cause that too?
Thanks a tonne!
XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Poisoning refers to ingestion and not sniffing or topical application
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking back.
Unless essential oils are ingested or injected in small amounts or in bulk, you need not worry about 'essential oil poisoning'. It does not apply to topical application or sniffing. Except for allergic reactions, I do not feel that anything like that can happen with sniffing or topical application.
Going through the following link might help:
http://www.agoraindex.org/Frag_Dem/toxicitymyths.html
If you found my answer to be useful, please close the thread with a positive review and a 5 star rating.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
Poisoning refers to ingestion and not sniffing or topical application
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking back.
Unless essential oils are ingested or injected in small amounts or in bulk, you need not worry about 'essential oil poisoning'. It does not apply to topical application or sniffing. Except for allergic reactions, I do not feel that anything like that can happen with sniffing or topical application.
Going through the following link might help:
http://www.agoraindex.org/Frag_Dem/toxicitymyths.html
If you found my answer to be useful, please close the thread with a positive review and a 5 star rating.
Regards
Dr. Diptanshu Das
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
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