Why Lavender Essential Oil Should Be In Every Home First Aid Kit
Lavender essential oil is one of the most widely known and used popular essential oils for the whole family’s health and wellbeing. Learn why lavender should be in every home first aid kit is widely used by families of the world, even kids and infants. Especially when Lavender is so versatile, in its therapeutic properties, extremely calm, soothing, and generally safe.
Why Your Lavender Essential Oil Should Be Pure And High-Grade Quality
Lavender essential oil is distilled from the lavender plant which grows in rural areas and gardens all over the world. But it is important when buying lavender oil to check it is 100% pure essential oil and of high-grade quality. If you want to use lavender essential oil for therapeutic use you want to know it has a high therapeutic level unfortunately not all brands of essential oils have the same quality. I personally buy from NYR Organics and dOTERRA and the reason why I am a consultant for both.
The Use Of Lavender in The Pharmaceutical Industry
Lavender is widely used in the pharmaceutical, skincare, and holistic industry. It is often used in burns treatments and a lavender-oil preparation in gel capsule known as Silexan is used to reduce anxiety. It is also used in a variety of ways in mainstream medicine. One clinical study demonstrated the benefits of Lavender in helping reduce blood pressure and pulse in those undergoing a Coronary Angiography.
I began studying aromatherapy over 25 years ago and found it fascinating how much you can treat with essential oil Ins. I loved the fact that aromatherapy gave families a more holistic and safer option than many over the counter prescriptions. Very quickly my family and friends began to replace their medicine cabinet and first aid kit with essential oils, especially pure lavender.
It can be sedating for most people, the reason why it is so widely used in sleep therapy products, especially bedtime sprays and nighttime oil and bath blends. And some parents find it helpful for ADHD
Antimicrobial:
Lavender has been shown in some situations to help reduce microbial activity
Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory:
This explains why lavender can be useful for bumps, bruises, burns, sport, and other muscular injuries.
Generally, lavender essential oil is used as an aid to reduce anxiety, bumps, bruises, bites, burns, eczema, emotional lability, exhaustion, fear, hot flushes, hyperactivity,insomnia, low mood, panic attacks, PMT, restlessness, stings, stress, sunburn swollen joints, tantrums, temperatures, worry…
How to Use Pure Lavender Essential Oil
Bath:Add one-two drops of pure essential lavender oil to your child’s bath, 2- 3 drops for older kids 12+.
Massage Blend: Blend one drop of lavender oil with 15ml of carrier oil or unscented pure massage oil and apply to the skin. Infants and toddlers love baby massage it is a great way to encourage healthier bonding and as long it’s done gently for about 5-10 minutes it can help them relax or fall asleep. Use 2-3 drops of essential oils for 7-12 years. Most suitable for children over 2 years.
Spritzer:Add a few drops of lavender oil to water in a large spray bottle, this can be used to help children cool down or calm down. So great for holidays
Compress: Add a drop of lavender to a wet compress for bums, bruises, bites, headaches or a high temperature.
Aromatherapy Diffuser: Diffuse lavender oil to help your child off to sleep. it can also help reduce some type of bacterial infections.
NOISE Sensitivity – Why Noise Can Be A Child’s Biggest Stressor
Why Noise Sensitivity Could Be One Of Your Child’s Biggest Cause Of Stress, Anxiety And Depression
So What Is Noise Sensitivity?
Noise sensitivity is reduced tolerance to sound. It is exacberated by fatigue, infection, medications, medical conditions, stress and other stimuli. It causes different changes to brain function . In-fact it is shown that some noise sensitivity shows an increase in grey matter volume
There are different kinds of noise sensitivity.
Hyperascius is an intolerance or even pain to different types of sound, it often occurs with tinnitus. It is extremely common in children, though many children out grow it.
Hypersensitive hearing of specific frequencies is seen in many children with autism. Some frequencies such as those above 70 decibels can be unbearable.
Misophonia is a strong reaction to specific sounds, the individual is triggered by specific sounds. There is often a strong emotional correlation to the specific sounds.Misophonia is viewed as a neurological condition it can be a symptom seen in adhd, aspergers, autism
Phonophobia (also called ligyrophobia or sonophobia) is viewed as a sub-category of misophonia. It is an emotional or anxiety disorder which is triggered by a fear of particularly loud sounds. And is often triggered by the discomfort and environmental conditioning of living with hyperacusius
Recruitment is linked to sensorineural hearing loss, the individual often has extreme hearing loss. But when someone for example shouts they suddenly hear and it can be very uncomfortable.
Many assume noise sensitivity is a psychological condition but it is main causes are a neurological reaction.
Some children do get less sound sensitive, some adults or those with specific medical conditions like untreated chronic lymes can develop increased sound sensitivity.
Some children with autism are oversensitive others are undersensitive.
Causes of noise sensitivity
According to the Brain Injury Society those with noise sensitivity “may have a history of Lyme’s disease, Meniere’s disease, TMJ, serious head injury, frequent migraines, Bell’s Palsy, facial nerve dysfunction, excessive ear irrigation or surgery. Hyperacusis can later develop as a result of damage sustained to the hearing apparatus, or inner ear, or the condition may be acquired as a result of damage to the brain or the neurological system during a head trauma event.”
I have lived with noise sensitivity for at least 28 years. But over the last few years the hyperacusis became very extreme and was accompanied by serious light and sound vibration. It got worse after surviving sepsis and approx 30 years diagnosis of m.e. But I have to say according to a test in germany it may be chronic lymes ( I had strange bites at 14 years old) and I was mercury poisoned.
As somone who has taught stress management to parents and kids for 18 years. I have worked with many children who have hyper sound sensitivity issues. But until recently And I had no ideal how disabling, painful, uncomfortable and exhausting hyperascisus could be.
Many people say it can be torterous and I understand why they decribe it this way. I had to move from my previous home because of how the noise started to affect me. It was changed into a main through road for local traffic. And most people could never imagine how dramatically this impacted my daily life and health. On many occasions I nearly passed out, lost my balance and had violent non-epileptic type seizures all times triggered by noise. Now yes mine would appear to be caused by long-term bacterial and viral infection.
But I would urge you to try and comprehend how uncomfortable or painful noise may be for your child. Particularly if you have a very young child or a child who struggles to communicate what they are experiencing.
I am a stress management expert, with highly extensive and advanced techniques and tools to help me remain calm and relaxed in any situation. And although thank goodness I am lucky to have these tools this does not take away how much this disorder can impact your child’s mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.
So How Can You Support your Sound Sensitive Child?
1.Understand your child’s type of sound sensitivity, their triggers and symptoms.
2. Educate your child’s school and teachers on your child’s specific noise sensitivity challenges, the level of sensitivity and key triggers.
3. Prior warning of alarming and noisey sounds can prepare your child’s central nervous system. So work together with teachers, family and friends to work out cues that prepare your child for noise isssues like alarms.
4. Plan and prepare ahead- when you can choose specific times of day, places and areas of a room where your child will be less exposed to too much or particular noises. I know of a situation where a child’s mental wellbeing became seriously distressed and depressed due to the noise of the internet router next to her in her classroom.
5. Minimise the impact when you can: although it may not be a good ideal to completely eliminate your child from all noises. Noises that are extremely uncomfortable, painful or disabling can be reduced by ear muffs, ear plugs and sound cancellation ear phones.
6. Teach your child how to set healthy boundaries– an important part of growing a strong resilient child is teaching them healthy boundaries. A noise sensitive child has usually a very sensitive central nervous system. Noise is one of modern day living’s biggest stressor. So to keep your child physically, mentally and emotionally healthy. It is vital your child can learn how to say NO to noises, games and situations that are di-stressing.
7. White Noise – Some children who are noise sensitive find white noise or fans can soften out the sharp shock of other loud noises.
8. Take Breaks & Rest – regular rest breaks from noisey environments, too many people, parties or events helps keep a child’s nervous system in check.
9. Calm And Patience: It is important that the child and parent learn hows to be calm and patient around sound sensitivity issues. Meditation is an extremely powerful tool that can help the individual cope more resiliently with the challenges. Anything that will calm the central nervous system and help reduce the stress response will help the sound sensitive child.
10. Holistic aids; Deficiencies are sometimes viewed as an issue in sound sensitivity. Many people reduce their sensitivity with supplements of magnesium. Magnesium helps inhibit glutamate which can be a major cause of tinnitus. Magnesium also protects the ears from damage to noise sensitivity. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame often in many children’s foods, sweets, yoghurts and drinks are reputed to be neurotoxic. So elimination may be helpful.
Top tips how to calm down an overstimulated hyperactive child or child with ADHD. Understanding hyperactivity and children and how to deal with in the most calm and effective way.
What is Hyperactivity?
Hyperactivity is a state of mental, emotional and physical over-activity. Kids with Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder can be in a perpetual state of stress due to their hyper-sensitivity. A hyperactive child is more easily triggered by internal and external anxiety and stressors.”While hyperactivity is most commonly associated with ADHD, individuals might also have difficulty with a brain or nervous system disorder, emotional disorder, or hyperthyroidism.” SpecialNeeds.com
Symptoms Of A Hyperactive Child
Behaviours and symptoms of a hyperactive child can be extremely varied. But common symptoms of hyperactivity include fidgeting, poor focus and concentration. As well as impulsiveness, irritability and aggressiveness, emotional outbursts and overwhelm. A hyperactive child maybe something you have to deal with more than just, daily or weekly. Especially with so much technology and information overload, so many kids parties and event.This can be stressful and exhaustion for you the parent, caregiver or educator. So it is important to manage or reduce the risks of hyperactivity and overstimulation as much as possible.
Here is 7 Tips To Calm Down A Hyperactive Child
Be Calm, Firm But Caring
A hyperactive child is a child in a highly over stimulated, emotional or stressed state. So it is important to approach the situation in a calm confident yet firm and caring way.The last thing you want is your anxiety, stress or emotional frustration fuelling the situation.
Most parents and caregivers have anxiety and stress so it is important to mange your own anxiety,stress and triggers in a healthy way.The more relaxed and calm you are, the easier it is set clear caring boundaries with your child. For toddlers a firm and strong stop hand signal can give a clear message.
Especially done at eye to eye level, not hovering down or pointing a finger. Which can trigger more fear or emotional frustration.
Remove Your Hyperactive Child From Their Stressors
Removing your hyperactive child to a more calming environment or activity with is more grounding like a walk in the nature can be extremely helpful.
Or simply removing or distracting them from any sort of stimulant internally or externally will help encourage your child’s mind, body and emotions off the stress response and back into a calm and balanced state.
We are all more easily stressed by noises, lights, smells, other people’s energy and emotions when we are hyper-alert.
Redirect Your Hyperactive Child To Release Excessive Energy
Encouraging a hyperactive child to use their bursts of energy in a far more focused and healthy way can help. That is why short bursts of directed exercise like doing a short sprint can be helpful. Young children can learn to shake their body like a deer does, after it freezes during a stressful event.
Any activity with a certain amount of heavy lifting can also be helpful as it requires a certain amount of focus.
Although because hyperactivity is usually triggered by sensory, stimulus or information overload followed by emotional melt downs and exhaustion. It is important not to push a hyperactive child into too much physical activity that is going to burn them out. The main reason no 4 and 7 are so important.
When a child can manage their own emotions and stress they feel more calm, confident and in control. They are less frustrated and overwhelmed. Children can learn how to relax properly with breathing or relaxation techniques. Many younger kids find blowing bubbles deeply calming. A child’s ability to switch off and relax is vital to get deep restful sleep.
Teach a child the right type of meditation skill and you give them a friend for life. Meditation gives your child an empowering self-help tool for life. My meditation and mindfulness program for kids teaches both parent and child how to meditate in a fun and practical manner for the whole family.
Lavender essential oil is a really safe and effective oil for most ages of children when used the right way. Making up a lavender aroma ball like these by NYR Remedies To Roll can be deeply calming, soothing and relaxing.
Lavender bath salts or Pure Lavender oil can be added to the bath to be used as a sleep aid especially when deep quality sleep is so important for the hyperactive or ADDHD child. Make sure you don’t use products with synthetic fragrances or perfumes, pure essentials especially organic essential oils are natural and toxin free.
Eliminate Stimulants i.e. sugar, artificial sweeteners, colourings especially energy drinks seriously over-stimulate the mind, body and emotions. Even foods your child is slightly intolerant to, can be too stimulating.
The reality is most foods in our supermarkets are full of refined sugars or man made ingredients, pesticides or preservatives which play havoc with our body our sugar levels and nervous system. When possible a fresh raw organic diet as much as possible can help nurture your child’s mind, body and emotions.
How To Create A Calm Bedtime Routine For Your Child.
Simple ways to create a happy healthy and calm bedtime routine for your kids and teenagers. For so many parents a calm bedtime routine seems impossible. So many families are so stressed out and exhausted that bedtime can feel like a nightmare or the last straw. But the reality is children’s bedtime don’t have to be as stressful as you think. Some simple changes can make a huge difference to a family’s bedtime routine.
The Benefits Of A Calm Bedtime Routine
As a stress therapist for over 20 years, I know how effective a healthy calm bedtime routine can reduce family stress.
A calm bedtime routine is important not just for the kids but the whole family. Believe me a calm bedtime routine into your evening routine. Can make every family member feels far more happier, healthier and stress resilient to all sorts of stressful life challenges.
5 Ways to Create A Calm Bedtime Routine For Children And Teenagers
Create A Healthy Bedtime Routine
It is important to have set times when your kids must be in bed, must have the lights out. Even times when kids should stop eating, drinking and watching tv. So set specific times when they have to switch off their phone.5
or seriously reduced from early afternoon as stimulants stay in the body for many hours. For example let your child have their favourite treat or sweet early in the day. Encourage teenagers to stay away from caffeine stimulants. As sadly energy drinks are highly addictive and bad for your child’s health. In-fact the withdrawal and side effects can be quite serious.
Encourage relaxing hobbies
like drawing, painting, colouring in, listening to relaxing music. As most children and teenagers today struggle to switch off, relax and fall off to sleep. Kids are so mentally busy and overwhelmed. They have forgotten how to really relax. If you look at most new born babies they naturally know how to just be, how to switch off, be calm and content.
Switch off and unplug.
It is important children and teenagers have rest and quality sleep away from electric devices and technology. Because the electro magnetic frequencies and blu ray from ipads, iphones can play havoc with your child’s nervous system. Examples of healthier night time activities are a relaxing bath, a foot massage or baby massage for toddler or hobbies as mentioned above.
meditation helps your child feel more relaxed, more calm. Guided meditations which are actually guided relaxations can help your child drift off into a deep sleep. So they can be particularly useful for sensory challenged children, more easily stimulated. Your Guardian Angel mp3 is one of my oldest and most popular relaxation tracks for children it is aimed at about 3- 8 years old. but even a little older children have enjoyed it.
Teach Your Child How To Relax
if they suffer from chronic anxiety, chronic overstimulation or stress. Relaxation Techniques can be very helpful for all ages, especially children and teens 5 years up. Learn More
children are so over stimulated today, so ungrounded and disconnected from what is truly natural. It is so important to help support them to feel more grounded, make sure they get out to play in nature daily. Take them out for walks to the park, countryside, encourage them to be bare feet on the ground, the sand, the sea when they can.
Soothing Essential Oils.
There are a variety of soothing essential oils that can be helpful for children and teens, that can help them relax, feel more grounded, safe and secure. Chamomile and Mandarin can be extremely soothing for children, lavender is suitable for children over 2 years of age.
Encourage A Calm Bedtime Routine today
If your child likes learning and reading I have published the Bedtime Tips With Astral- cartoon video into a little cartoon e-book. So it will encourage your child to get off to bed when they are supposed to. And will remind them how important it is to get a good healthy sleep.
5 Ways To Empower Your Child With Life Long Skills
How to empower your child in the most healthy way, how to give them powerful life skills that will support your child for life?
How To Empower Your Child To Be The Best Version Of Themself
We all know how much a lack of self-esteem and self-confidence can seriously impact the way we approach and live our life.
So how do we help our child who may be sensitive, sensory challenged, shy, struggling, ill or disabled step into their power? Here is a five simple but powerful ways you can begin to empower your child today!
5 Simple, Powerful Ways That Can Empower Your Child For Life
They Are Enough:We live in a society and culture that in many ways has everyone believing they are lacking, they need to have or be more to be loved, accepted, valued, respected, successful. When this is so not true.
This is such a huge distortion. We can help a child open up and live their greatest potential. But helping them recognise they are enough right now, at this moment is the most powerful thing you can do to increase their confidence, raise their vibration.
Celebrate Your Child’s Uniqueness:Helping your child celebrate those quirky, unique and challenging traits they may have is about helping them recognise they are so much more than enough. And that they are here with their own unique traits, for a particular purpose.
There are somethings a child grows out of but it is so important to love and accept them just as they unique special being they are.
Open Up Your Child’s Potential:Help your child see out of the box, look past limitations even your own. Open them up to the rich tapestry of life, other ideas, other skills, let them try things. Often parents who are unaware, but well meaningly can limit their child’s dreams, they can squash down their ” Joie de vivre” Joy of Living. Or they do the opposite and fill in all sorts of activities into their child’s schedule without enough downtime.
Sadly over 20 years as a Stress Therapist I have saw too many children with depression and anxiety. And some children who developed suicidal tendencies exacerbated by this sort of pressure from parents.
Empower Yourself:When you empower yourself, you empower your child, children are energetic sponges, so they can easily take on other’s anxiety, stress and depression. Especially children who are extremely sensitive who find it difficult to identify what is their energy and emotions and others.
Teach Your Child How To Meditate: When you teach your child the right type of meditation, your child can access calm and peace whenever they want. Now I am not talking about guided meditations, they can help your child to relax and help build self-worth, confidence …
I am talking about meditation skills that with daily practise will eventually let them access instant stillness. So whatever life challenges or stress come along, your child will have the tools to deal with them more effectively. The right meditation and mindful skills can also help your child become more accepting, compassionate about themself and those around them. Their less likley to have chronic anxiety, depression or chronic stress because they are not as lost in negative thinking.
Benefits Of Meditation And Mindfulness For Children
So What Are The Healthy Benefits Of Meditation And Mindfulness For Children?
Well sadly more and more children are suffering from anxiety, stress, depression and over-stimulation that is why mindfulness for children is now so popular. Society places a lot of pressure not just on adults but children and teenagers.
More and more children are becoming addicted to technology, sugar and other unhealthy habits from a very young age. Unhealthy patterns that could seriously impact on the quality and potential of their adult life. Meditation and mindfulness can support a child in many ways, in-fact in many ways meditation can be your child’s best friend.
Why meditation and mindfulness for children is extremely powerful
Meditation And Mindfulness Can Reduce Anxiety, Stress And Depression– Sadly more and more children are over-stimulated, over-anxious and depressed. Meditation and mindful activities encourage the body off the stress response into the calm response. A reason why mindfulness for children has became the latest skill in many schools.
Meditation and Mindfulness Calms The Monkey Mind– Children have an amazing ability to think quickly and grasp new tasks and activities, look at the way even young toddlers quickly grasp how to use your mobile phone or their own mini ipad. But the biggest challenge with children today, is focus and over stimulation one of the biggest causes of anxiety, stress and other mental health challenges. Mindful activites and meditation techniques loosen the attachment to the monkey mind. And in many ways relaxes and resets the child’s mind and body into a more natural state of being.
Mindful Activities And Meditation Creates Confidence– Lack of self-esteem, self-worth and confidence are all triggered and caused by our mental beliefs, by over-thinking. When a child learns to let go of these self-destructive tendencies they become more calm and confident. Your child recognises they are enough, they are not their thoughts. When we access a place of deep peace regularly we are more at peace with ourselves. I have witnessed many children with various disabilities and challenges completely change in attitude, confidence and ability through learning meditation. You would be surprised how powerful these skills can be when encouraged in a child’s daily life and way of being.
Mindfulness And Meditation For Emotional Wellbeing–We all have to go through different life challenges and emotional pain, but how we approach and go through is what makes us struggle or suffer. The powerful aspect of the right mindful and meditation tools is that they can teach your child to accept their pain, accept their emotions without judgement. When we allow our pain to arise and flow in acceptance, we reduce reaction, fear, destruction and denial. All of the things that create the biggest unhappiness in life. An emotionally healthy child is a happy child, a child who creates happier and healthier communication skills and positive relationships.
Daily Meditation And Mindfulness Encourages Healthier Sleep Routines–When a child is more calm and peaceful throughout the day, it is much easier for their mental, emotional and physical body to switch off.Many people are so focused on tiring their children out, they fail to recognise their is a huge difference between physical tiredness and mental tiredness. Mental tiredness is often mental stimulation and one of the biggest reasons children and teenagers don’t want to go to bed. With so much information and technology overload, many kid’s natural circardian rythm is out of sync. Programs that include meditation and mindfulness for children can encourage the mental and physical body back into its natural circardian state.
As someone who has meditate for 30 years and taught meditation to all ages including children for over 15 years I have been very fortunate to witness the many benefits and blessings.
Healthy chocolate milk, is their really a healthy alternative? When we automatically think of a cool chocolately drink or chocolate desert for kids we think of chocolate, sugar and of course milk.
But for many children who are highly sensitive to sugar, dairy, preservatives and artificial flavours or colours, chocolate milk is not the wisest choice Your every day chocolate milk that can be bought in the shops is not just unhealthy, but can be too stimulating and play havoc with the gut. Often a challenged part of the body system of children with autism, aspergers, sensory issues and various health challenges.
So what sort of healthy chocolate milk recipe options are there?
Well two of the main things you can replace that can make a huge difference is the chocolate for raw healthy cacao not cocoa and almond milk instead of dairy. With a few extra healthy additional options you can make this taste really yummy.
It all depends on how sweet your child likes their milk and what they definitely don’t like. My own nieces and nephews love the recipe below, even one who doesn’t really like bananas was absolutely shocked there was a banana in this recipe and than it wasn’t technically real chocolate. But some people miss out the bananas and just use dates. It is totally up to you and your child.
Healthy Chocolate Milk Recipe
Actually Healthy Cacoa & Almond Milk Recipe
1 – 1 1/2 cup of almond milk – To Make Your Own Almond Milk Click Here
1 x Large Banana
1 – 2 tablespoons of Cacoa Powder
A few drops of vanilla essence
Optional ( 1- 2 teaspoons of peanut butter)
Optional ( 1/2 teaspoon honey, agave or date syrup*popular with the big kids)
A few ice cubes
Simply blend all above except ice into a smoothie maker or blender and serve with a straw
Healthy Hot Chocolate
Well Healthy Hot Cacoa Drink
Blend all of above ingredients (except ice) to a warm pan (except ice), for kids just slightly warm obviously adults can have a lot warmer.
Note:Best to add the chosen sweetener at end, just as its warming and ready to come off the boil or heat.
Other Options- Healthy Choco Ice Cream
Healthy Cacoa Ice Cream
A dairy free chocolate ice cream alternative.
All of above recipe, simply frozen, you can also add some cacao nibs, nuts or extra crunchy peanut butter pieces
Let me know how you get on, I would advise you to try these recipes yourself and experiment to your own tastes before getting it right for the kids.
These recipes are packed with nutrients and antioxidants, the main recipe is a great smoothie for on the go, for breakfast or for those afternoon sugar dips
In-fact many sensitive and sensory challenged kids have a hyper sense of smell. So strong scents can be overwhelming and unpleasant.
Many highly sensitive persons known as HSP’s also have health conditions which have to be carefully considered when choosing the right essentials oils.
How To Choose Essential Oils For Sensitive Kids
When choosing essential oils for sensitive kids It is important the scent is not too strong or unpleasant. If in any doubt start with very smaller doses. In-fact if you know the child has an extreme heightened sense of smell, start even lower doses than the recommended below. If your child has a specific condition it is vital to check the properties and contra-indications of essential oils.
Ensure all essential oils are 100% pure and of highest grade for best results. NYR Organics is just one company. I would recommend Always dilute essential oils with an appropriate carrier oil or water, do not apply directly to skin especially on children, babies or infants. Only use recommended dose for specific age and do not use oils not suitable for infants.
How To Use Essential Oils For Sensitive Kids As A Massage Blend
Massage Blend For Babies: A dilution of 0ne drop to 15 ml carrier oil is the approx recommended dose for infants. But if your baby is sensitive I would recommend one drop to 20 ml. Once diluted in a carrier oil, essential oils can be used to gently massage your baby.
Massage Blend For Infants And Children 1- 6 Years: A dilution of 0ne to three drops to 15 ml carrier oil. But if your child is sensitive I would recommend two drops to 20 ml.
Massage Blend For 7- 12 Years: A dilution of three to five drops to 15 ml carrier oil. But if your child is sensitive I would recommend two to three drops to 20 ml.
Massage Blend For Adults: A dilution of six to ten drops to 20ml carrier oil. For highly sensitive adults four to eight drops to 20ml carrier oil
How To Use Essential Oils For Sensitive Kids In The Bath
Essentials Oils For Bath: For babies and sensitive kids it is actually much safer to dilute the essential oils into a water soluble vegetable oil such as glycerin. But can be added directly simply make sure you run the water and disperse the essential oils into the water.
For Bath Use Babies 0 – 12 months: one drop evenly dispersed in the bath water
For Bath Use Infants 1- 6 years: one to three drops per bath
For Bath Children 6 -12 years: two drops to four drops per bath
For Bath Adult Or Teenager: four drops to eight drops per bath
Safest Essential Oils For Sensitive Kids And Babies
Lavender oil is extremely calming, useful for tantrums, exhaustion, overwhelm. Although sedating for most people some people find it more a clarifier. A great one for the family first aid kit as it is extremely versatile oil that can be used on sunburn, burns, bites, Also useful for anxiety, stress and depression. For kids it can be added to bath water, or used as a relaxing massage. For toddler tantrums or bumps a drop of essential oil added to water and then applied as a cool compress
Mandarin is another extremely calming and soothing essential oil, helpful for colic, digestive issues and as a general uplifting but relaxing essential oil for sensitive kids. Popular essential oil for sensitive kids as it has a much lighter scent than most essential oils.
Chamomile is extremely soothing and one of the very few pure essentials used on young children eg, infants where it is used in very very low percentages so dilute, dilute, dilute. Relaxing, helpful for sleep, helpful for soothing sore muscles. It does have a strange aroma but the benefits powerfully out way the scent, can be blended with Lavender or Mandarin.
Popular Essential Oils For Highly Sensitive Persons And Sensitive Teenagers
Other than the essential oils above there are various pure essential oils that can support HSP’s in different ways. Essentials have various therapeutic, physiological and psychological properties. The oils below are suited more to adults and children over 12 years.
is a slightly uplifting essential oil which can be helpful for anxiety, depression, negativity, shyness, stress. Should not be used for approx 3 hours before going out into the sun. Not suitable for babies infants, children, those with sensitive skin.
a deeply meditating and grounding essential oil for HSP’s can help reduce insecurity, panic attacks, paranoia and nerves. More a masculine type of scent.. Not suitable for babies or infants.
is an extremely supportive essential oil for grief, sadness, attachment challenges, fear of unknown origin, rumination. It also has great benefits for the skin. Not suitable for babies or infants
Sandalwood is another grounding essential oil, specifically useful for those emotionally sensitive, insecurity, listless, dread and worry. It is also used as a meditation aid. Not suitable for infants, babies or children. It has a woody masculine scent.
is an extremely relaxing essential oil that can can help reduce anger challenges, impatience, nightmares,rigidity, fear of people, guilt. Especially as many HSP’s are highly empathic and suffer from unfounded guilt, fear of others and people pleasing. Not suitable for babies, infants or children.
Common signs of a highly sensitive child? Want to learn if you have a HSP Child? Lets explore some of the challenges and traits of highly sensitive children.
So what are some of the more common signs of a highly sensitive child or HSP?
Thankfully research todays recognises the most common traits of the highly sensitive child or highly sensitive person.
The Highly Sensitive Child Is Intuitive
HSP’s are usually very intuitive and are good judge of character. But because of deep compassion and empathy will often let their heart rule their head. It is important they learn to trust and be guided by their inner guidance.
Highly Sensitive Children Are Easily Overstimulated
The easily over stimulated child is often a HSP. Thus they are more easily stimulated; noise, visuals, smells, touch, movement and taste. For some the sensitivity can be so extreme, it can seriously impact their life. For example they may not be able to tolerate touch or find specific or loud sounds extremely painful, certain clothes too itchy or uncomfortable.
Highly Sensitive Kids Need Time Out
They will usually need more time out and alone. Highly sensitive kids and teenagers need more time to unplug from technology and other’s, Even if they appear sociable and talkative. They burn out and get over stimulated very easily. This can appear as high energy or fun to be around, but can often be over stimulation or over excitement.
Highly Sensitive Child Struggles With Violence In Media, Stories
Dislike Violence, Horror Movies, many highly sensitive children will find even the slightest violence quite disturbing. They can appear very cautious or fearful in doing certain activities which may appear to have a risk such as climbing.
Highly Sensitive Children Over Identify With Other People’s Stuff
They are very sensitive to not just stimuli but are often sensitive and highly empathic to other people’s emotions, needs and pains. In-fact they will often over identify or take on other’s emotional pain, especially as they find it difficult to set healthy boundaries. Which can seriously affect their physical, mental and emotional well-being. They can suffer from Irrational or irrelevant guilt due to their highly empathic nature and difficulty identifying their own emotions with others.
HSP Children Are Often People Pleasers
They tend to be people pleasers, often to their own detriment. Many HSP’s will go out of their way to be kind, please others as they don’t want to hurt others or cause conflict.
Powerful Yet Simple Life Tools You Can Teach A Highly Sensitive Child
Highly sensitive children need calm and respite from the over stimulation and information over load of modern life. As a healer, therapist and stress expert I have witnessed for many years, the huge benefits highly sensitive children achieve from learning meditation. Especially the right meditation skills and the right relaxation techniques. The right type of meditation helps one access inner calm and peace no matter what is happening around them.
Highly sensitive children who struggle and don’t learn how to harness their gifts and traits tend to really struggle in adulthood. The more we can learn how to love, accept and honour ourselves as children, the more happier and healthier we become. But if we are misunderstood, not given the support we need, not taught the skills we need we end up carrying those wounds into adulthood. That is why Inner Child Therapy has became so popular, why so many highly sensitive and highly empathic adults are attracted to Inner Child work.
Tools For The Highly Sensitive Child
Healthy Boundaries
The highly sensitive child needs to learn about personal boundaries from a young age. Be able to learn how important it is to set and maintain healthy emotional and energetic boundaries between other people, parents, siblings, friends and family.
Highly Sensitive Kids Need To Learn To Switch Off And Relax
The HSP Child should learn how to become more resilient to anxiety, stress and any form of over-stimulation. It is important for them to be able to take time out,switch off and relax.
Traditional meditation techniques can help the sensitive child or sensitive teenager find their own inner calm, own inner peace. Guided meditations for sensitive children are extremely common as they can help encourage not just deep relaxation, but help them nurture a safe space within them self.
Highly Sensitive Children Need To Ground More
HSP’s and empaths
often struggle with being grounded and centred. So it is important that they do daily activities that will help them become more earthed and grounded. They can easily do that by spending time in nature, around plants, flowers, trees and animals. The use of essential oils and flower essences can also be very helpful.
Improve A Highly Sensitive Child’s Self Worth And Self Esteem
Parents of a highly sensitive child should work on helping the highly sensitive child know they are enough, the need to learn and develop self-love and self-worth. Not base their worth on being the rescuer, helper or healer to other people’s needs.
Inner Child Work For The Highly Sensitive Adult
Inner Child work when approached safely and effective way can be extremely helpful. But in many ways most inner child healing is about healing trauma so there is certain approaches that must be used. It is not something that can be approached lightly.
As someone who has studied a variety of therapeutic approaches for 30 years. Not just different healing and therapy modalities but counselling, psychology, psychotherapy, archetypes and inner child work. I use a variety of safe and effective tools and approaches in my work to ensure my sessions and courses are safe and soothing.
Eileen has worked with many highly empathic and highly sensitive children and highly sensitive adults, HS kids with Autism, Aspergers and other sensory processing issues. She offers 1-2-1 inner child support for highly sensitive and empathic adults LEARN MORE
So how do you calm the kids at Christmas? Christmas is certainly a crazy time of year and is often anything but calm.
The Christmas Season is a time when Kids not only get excited about Santa or about spending time with family; grandparents or cousins. But are often over excited and over stimulated by the whole hype of Christmas. It can feel an impossible task to find ways to calm the kids down during these hyper holidays.
Simple Strategies To Calm The Kids Down During The Festive Season
Well the most important thing about learning how to calm the kids down, is to recognise what actually over stimulates your child, children or teenagers.
What over excites them and even what causes them anxiety or fear? If you don’t know your kids triggers your going to find it difficult to calm the kids, help regulate their responses in a healthy way. A bit of excitement is good but if any of your kids have adhd, are sensitive or have sensory processing issues. Well too much excitement can be stressful for the sensitive or anxious child, because their nervous system is much more acute.
Over Anxious and Over Excited Adults
Many adults want to relive the Christmas magic through our children’s eyes. But most children are far more over stimulated, over stressed than we ever were as children. So it’s always worth considering how your child naturally responds to the Christmas season. Thing about how they react to new events, surprises, change, basically things outside their comfort zone. It’s much easier to calm the kids down when you can cushion them from the impact of stressful situations. You will naturally help calm the kids when you are more calm and relaxed and over stimulated.
Top Tips To Calm The Kids Down On Christmas Eve And Holiday Season
it can be more challenging at this time of year to calm the kids but do what you can to minimise stimulants. Sugar, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, even fats can seriously increase anxiety, stress symptoms. They are extremely stimulating and play havoc on the bodies sugar levels and digestive system.
Eliminate External Stimulants:
Encourage some seriously unplugging and time out to calm the kids and adults. Information overload and blu ray from TV, computers and mobile devices plays havoc with the brain. Especially the melatonin and the bodies natural circadian rythms which is vital for good quality sleep.
Be Organised, Prepare and Plan:
If your kids are going to be out for the day or away from there normal routine to help calm the kids. Get organised and prepare them and yourself for usual challenges. Especially if your child is extra anxious or sensitive, for example have a plan that includes some healthy cushioning from the impact of the situation. If your child is going to be exposed to a lot of noise, stimulation or lots of processed foods. Have some strategies in place to make it as less stimulating as possible. A contingency plan is key for young or sensitive kids or those with Asperger syndrome, Autism who struggle with noise, lights, smells…
E.g. take your child out for a short walk or to another room for a rest or for time out. Bring things like a book or colour-in book or a less stimulating game that can be a more healthy or balanced distraction. Bring things like healthy snacks, earphones or comforter or lovable toy for young children. These can help soothe anxiety levels and encourage a sense of security and familarity.
Clear Boundaries:
As an adult you have to be the one that has clear boundaries that you stick to. It maybe deciding before hand how long you will stay or have your party. Clear boundaries on when your child has had enough to eat, drink, run about or when it’s time for bed. This in the long run can minimise a heap of drama, exhaustion and tantrums. Don’t be tempted to give in just because of the time of year etc. Christmas day, new year, family parties all play their toll on a sensitive or more anxious or stressed out child’s nervous system. In this state kids are often so confused they can struggle to recognise what they really need. Clear boundaries can help nip stressful or anxious situations in the bud before they get out of hand.
No matter if your their carer, guardian or parent, if you aren’t calm, you can’t expect the child your caring for to be calm. Don’t let your child feed off your emotions. Become a more calmer parent or guardian.
Manage Your Own Stress
Learn how to manage your own stress, learn to meditate properly, learn to relax properly. A stressed adult or caregiver adds more stress to the situation and the child. As they are simply radiating fear.
Holistic Aids:
Holistic aids can be extremely useful for one off type of situations. Both lavender and chamomile essential oils can be soothing for some children. Simply add a few drops to their bath, check with children who are highly sensitive to smells. Here is an interesting article on the use of Chamomile Tea and Oil for ADHD. Lavender pure essential oil can also be added to a handkerchief and placed inside a child’s pillow slip, lavender oil is a great oil for the family first aid kit. Rescue remedy for kids is a powerfully soothing flower essence blend which can quickly reduce anxiety, stress and fear.
Teaching your child how to meditate is a powerful life skill that supports children deal with stressful situations more effectively. Kids need plenty Rest, Relaxation and Repair so ensure they get enough good quality sleep. My FREE Guided Meditation For Kids can help your child relax, switch-off and set healthier energetic and emotional boundaries.
Switch off and unplug.
Bring things like a book or colour-in book or a less stimulating game that can be a more healthy or balanced distraction. Bring things like healthy snacks, earphones or comforter or lovable toy for young children. These can help soothe anxiety levels and encourage a sense of security and familarity.
