Aromatherapy is a valuable aid to any mother of young children. Used carefully essential oils can provide a natural and gentle treatment. They can ease children through many everyday common ailments. Essential oils are, of course, not intended as a substitute for drugs and if any condition persists a qualified practitioner must always be consulted.

The following will explain the dilutions for the various applications suitable for children. A quick rule of thumb for recommended dosage for children is:

NEWBORNS TO TWO WEEKS - AVOID THE USE OF ALL ESSENTIAL OILS. A Carrier oil such as Jojoba on its own however is a wonderful medium to give your new baby some T.L.C., through a gently bonding-massage, with the added benefit of nourishing the skin.

TWO WEEKS TO FOUR MONTHS: USE ONLY 1 DROP OF LAVENDER OIL IN A BATH TO RELAX AND CALM. Or blend with 10ml of Carrier oil (Jojoba or Sweet Almond) for a soothing massage over the whole body (excluding face) or 5ml Carrier oil for a gentle and effective foot massage. (This is a wonderful soother of irritability to use at any time of day - i.e. shopping, travelling. Simply by rubbing your thumbs from the centre of the sole of the foot toward the bottom of the toes and over the balls of the foot).

FOUR MONTHS TO TWELVE YEAR: ONE QUARTER OF ALL ADULT DOSAGES. A helpful chart below shows some simple ways to relieve children's everyday ailments. The dosages are shown for children four months to twelve years old.