Back to School with Essential Oils: Immune Support

Yep, it’s that time again!  New friends, new clothes, new subjects to study, and new…germs.  Ugh.  It’s that time again.  While you may not be able to keep your kids from coming in contact with all sorts of who-knows-what, you CAN take preventative measures with all-natural products to help to keep them safe both in and out of the home.  But there is so much more to school time than just the necessary hand-washing rituals; this is also a great time to teach your kiddos how to take care of themselves naturally and create routines to help them be the best that they can be!  Be sure to follow this series on how to help your kiddos during the school year with everything from cleaning to focus to spicing up some healthy snacks!

So, let’s talk…

(ESSENTIAL OIL) SAFETY FIRST

First and foremost, when using essential oils with kids, it is so important to understand proper usage and dilution.  Before beginning to use essential oils in your home, it is important to discuss them with your healthcare practitioner, especially if you have kids with special needs or a preexisting health condition like asthma.

Start by using the oils aromatically in your house either by diffusing them or simply by having them inhale the scent either directly from the bottle or from the palms of your hands.  You can also place a drop or two of oil on cotton balls so that the aroma is effective.  From there, you can move on to topical use.

Because essential oils are able to permeate the skin and kids’ skin is more sensitive, we always start small and heavily dilute the oils until we know how our kids react.  Carrier oils are so effective in helping to distribute the oil evenly over a larger area of the body and does not diminish the effect of the oil at all.  Some of my favorite carrier oils are organic coconut oil (raw or fractionated), sweet almond oil, and jojoba oil.  Remember that the oils work differently with each person as well, so it may take some time to find the right solution of oils plus application placement or method of delivery.

For school-age kiddos, we always recommend considering their height and weight as well as their age when thinking about diluting the oils.  We recommend at least a 50/50 dilution (equal drops carrier oil to drops of essential oil), but if your kiddos have more sensitive skin, then you may want to use even more carrier oil.  Start small – one drop of peppermint oil is the equivalent of 28 glasses of peppermint tea – so take it easy if you are new to oils.  It is important to do patch tests with your kids to see if they react to the oils as well.  Generally, the bottoms of the feet are the best place to apply the oils on kids because the pores are larger down there, but also because that area of skin is not as sensitive.  Because we are all different, what works for one kiddo might not work for another, so don’t be discouraged and don’t give up if the oils don’t work the way that you want them to right away.

But can I even tell you how amazing dōTERRA is?  They recognized the need of caregivers on-the-go and created their dōTERRA Touch Kit, an amazing set of pre-diluted oils in rollerball bottles.  They sell them separately as well, so be sure to ask me about them!

The final way to use oils is internally, and we generally don’t recommend that for kids under the age of 9 if you are using them as a dietary supplement.  But there are some amazing ways to use the oils in your cooking for kids of all ages!  Stay tuned for more on this topic in this series!

Now that we know the precautions of using essential oils with kiddos, let’s get into it…

WASH YOUR HANDS

Wash your hands.  A lot.  Properly.  Teach your kiddos to sing while they lather (even if they are older and think they are too cool) – the ABC song works well as well as “Happy Birthday” or “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” – and to get in the crevices between their fingers and under their nails.  Even more important is what they are using to make those bubbles – and dōTERRA does not disappoint.  The On Guard Protective Blend Collection is an easy way to provide immune support to kids while they wash their hands and provides a great alternative to synthetic options.  They even offer an On Guard Foaming Hand Wash and dispensers for an easy way to keep those hands clean.  If you prefer to DIY, then check out this awesome recipe:

Hint:  I have been known to reuse foaming soap dispensers that may have contained other soap in my life before going natural!

Hint, Hint:  You can customize this recipe soap with other essential oil combinations as well.  Some combos that I recommend are 5 drops of Peppermint + 5 drops of Melaleuca (Cleansing Blend), 5 Basil + 5 Lemon (Kitchen blend), 8 drops Citrus Bliss Invigorating Blend + 2 drops Peppermint (Wake Up Blend), or 10 drops Lavender (Calming Blend).

DAILY SUPPORT

Another great tip to keep your immune system supported during this time of year is to use a daily regimen of On Guard Protective Blend on yourself and your family.  For parents and older kids, an easy solution is to use the On Guard beadlets as a daily supplement; just pop one beadlet a day for supporting healthy immune function and the body’s natural antioxidant defenses.  For elementary-age students, try using an On Guard diluted rollerball on their feet after bathtime at night, either from the dōTERRA Touch collection or made on your own with at least a 50/50 dilution.

Diffusing On Guard daily in your house is another way to keep your family safe and to protect against environmental threats.  If you don’t have a diffuser, now is a great time to invest in one…and they truly are an investment in the wellness of your family!  They cleanse the air around you and help to support healthy respiratory function.

CLEANING

Don’t forget about the On Guard Cleaner Concentrate, everyone!  A bottle of this super-concentrated cleaning blend will last you for months, and you can use it for everything from floors to countertops to nasty bathrooms!  Just a few tablespoons added to 12 ounces or more of water (depending on the size and nastiness of the job) will not only clean your house but also provide an awesome invigorating aroma that always reminds me of the holidays!

Or you can do it yourself with this awesome recipe:

ON-THE-GO SOLUTIONS

But what if you are an on-the-go family who spends more time outside the home than inside?  And you know your kiddo is using those public restrooms at school.  No worries…nothing is more important than keeping your immune system supported, but often that means relying on whatever brand of soap was the cheapest in public restrooms.  And those hand sanitizers that you can buy are often laced with chemicals that I would prefer not to use. So how about this?  A quick-evaporating hand cleaner like the ones they are used to.

This also makes a great gift for the teachers in your lives and never underestimate the power of gifting a diffuser and a bottle of On Guard Protective Blend to your child’s classroom!  Keeping your immune system in tip-top shape is the first step to keeping your family healthy and safe.  This is blog #1 of a 3-part back-to-school series. Check out blog #2, Back to School Must-Have Essential Oils, and be sure to contact me with any questions!

If you would like more information about using essential oils with your kids, or interested in learning more about dōTERRA, let me know!

If you know you are ready to get started with dōTERRA essential oils, you can sign up with me immediately here.