Episode 12: Essential Oils For Kids With Behavioral, Mental, and Developmental Challenges

My guest this week is Jodi Cohen, a bestselling author, award-winning journalist, and founder of Vibrant Blue Oils, where she has combined her training in nutritional therapy and aromatherapy to create unique proprietary blends of organic and wildcrafted essential oils that help her clients heal from brain-related challenges, including anxiety, insomnia, and autoimmunity.

In this episode, Jodi and I discuss the important role essential oils can play in our children's lives, especially those struggling with behavioral, mental health, and developmental challenges. Introducing organic essential oils into your child's routine and teaching them how and when to use them can empower them to take control of their symptoms in times of anxiety, stress, restlessness, or when experiencing digestive issues. Learn more about Jodi Cohen and Vibrant Blue Oils here.

What are Essential Oils?

• Highly concentrated essence of plants
• • When plants are concentrated you are able to get a higher dose of whatever deficiency it is you are trying to treat
• Essential oils can be used to help your body regain balance and heal
• • When you are far out of balance, oils allow a more powerful, concentrated effect to help you return to your balanced state
• Oils are an easy tool to use with your children to maintain a healthy balanced lifestyle
• • Being ‘in balance’ refers to your state of health mentally and physically

 

Essential oils for children with behavioral, mental, and developmental challenges

• Oils are fat-soluble which allows them to get to the brain easier
• Helps children who have digestive impairment issues or toxic overload as they can easily apply oils to their skin topically or smell them
• • Kids can use independently and feel empowered with a tool that they know how to use effectively
  • • I.e. at school when feeling anxious, have a headache, or digestive problem
  • You can integrate oils into the bedtime routine early on with infants and toddlers

 

Essential Oils and Anxiety

• When the body is experiencing anxiety, the nervous system switches into a sympathetic state
• • A fight, flee or freeze zone that tells the body it is in danger making it hard to focus and deal with anxiety
• Applying a blend of oils to the vagus nerve, the bone you feel on the back of your ear, accessing a kind of off/on switch to allow the body to enter back into a parasympathetic state
• • The parasympathetic state allows the body to go back into a place of rest and healing telling the brain to calm down and that there is no danger
• Lime and Clove oils are a good blend to address this reset and help with anxiety
• • Jodi’s blend can be found here

 

Essential Oils for Sleep

• Children with mental health and developmental disabilities tend to struggle with sleep
• • Using an essential oil like Lavender in the right dosage and application can help
• If your child is a little restless you can apply lavender to their feet or give them a lavender bath
• • Lavender bath for children: 1 cup of epsom salt, ½ cup of baking soda and a couple drops of lavender oil - Mix lavender with the epsom salt before you add water
• If the sleep issue is more complicated and their circadian rhythm is off balance, Lori has a special blend available here targeted specifically for advanced sleep issues

 

How to Properly Use and Apply Essential Oils

• Dilute your oils with olive oil or coconut oil before applying to skin
• Apply oils to reflex and organ points depending on issue
• Less is more! Start slow and do not overdo it! You can always add more later if needed
• Never apply oils to damaged skin

 

The Importance of Quality in Essential Oils

• Remember they are concentrated. Buying any “essential oil” you find may mean you are buying something that was grown with chemicals and pesticides
• Organic is always best
• • Using oils that are derived from organically grown sources allows us to avoid additional toxins

Where to learn more about Jodi Cohen...

• Website: vibrantblueoils.com
• Twitter: @vibrantblueoils
• Instagram: @vibrantblueoils
• Facebook
• Jodi Cohen's Book

 

Connect with Dr. Nicole Beurkens on...

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Drbeurkens.com

 

Need help with improving your child’s behavior naturally?

• My book Life Will Get Better is available for purchase, click here to learn more.
• Looking for more? Check out my Blog and the Better Behavior Naturally Parent Program - a resource guide for parents who want to be more effective with improving their child’s behavior.

Interested in becoming a patient? Contact us here.