Essential Oils for Back to School by Devon Vernetti, L.Ac.

Essential oils are an easy, fun and effective way to support our children physically, mentally and emotionally during back to school.

I use these products every day in my home and office and wanted to share five must-have oils to keep your kids happy, healthy and parents sane during the school year!

Top Five Essentials Oils You've Gotta Have in Your Cabinet

1. Ginger

Ginger is an amazing oil to address digestive distress including nausea, stomach upset, vomiting and constipation.

Nerves before a big presentation? Apply ginger to the wrists.

It is also a strong oil for immune support fighting off colds, flu, congestion, and cough. Ginger also encourages proactiveness in life and empowers individuals to take responsibility for their actions. 

2. Lavender

Lavender is always a go-to favorite because it has so many benefits! Takes away stress and anxiety, helps with deeper sleep and treats burns and blisters. 

In addition, it's helpful for headaches when applied to the temples.

Lavender promotes emotional honesty and can be very helpful applied to you and your middle schooler when there is a breakdown in communication.

3. Lemon

Lemon is a detoxifying oil both physical and emotionally. It rids the body of toxic overload due to environmental factors thus keeping the immune system healthy.

It also cleanses the mind of negative thoughts.

Lemon increases energy and focus, while also a strong remedy for permanent marker stains, sticky goo problems and with a spoonful of honey will alleviate a sore throat.

4. Roman Chamomile

Roman Chamomile has been used for centuries to clear the mind and boost courage. It promotes restful sleep and can aid in simmering down childhood tantrums.

It treats diaper rash as well as panic attacks. Mom's can apply it as a floral perfume behind the ears to promote calm during the challenging high school years.

5. Tea Tree (Melaleuca)

Tea Tree oil is my go-to hand sanitizer. It's great for killing germs and treating cuts, wounds and skin irritations.

You may not know this, but tea tree oil is also a natural remedy for strep throat and tonsillitis.

For older children, apply to the chest over the heart to protect their energetic boundaries. Kids are constantly in an anxious and excitable environment. This oil will clarify what is their experience versus their peers. Mix with eucalyptus to prevent or rid a child of lice.

Safety & Application

Essential oils are very powerful healing tools and if applied incorrectly can be dangerous. Following these safety tips and application guidelines will build your confidence in applying oils.

1. Ensure the oils are pure, potent and therapeutic grade.  Most over the counter oils are adulterated and create for perfumes and commercial use not for healing benefits. I chose to work with doTerra because of the Certified Pure and Therapeutic Grade testing that is performed on all oils and oil-based products. This gives me the confidence needed to safely apply and prescribe oils to patients.
2. If ingesting essential oils or oil-based products, MAKE SURE they have a supplement fact label just like multivitamins (see photo below). I recommend when taking oils orally, you consult an essential oil practitioner.

3. For children age 11 and under, be sure the oils are properly diluted to protect the skin. Once diluted, the safest application is to the bottom of the foot. The skin on the foot has greater protection and quicker absorption into the body.

Similar to Chinese herbs, essential oils will heal imbalances in the body however applied. Diffusers are another safe way to use oils with kids. Under the age of 5, you only need 1-2 drops of oils and should use the intermittent function.

About Devon

I am Dr. Devon Vernetti, a licensed acupuncturist who specialized in pediatrics and family medicine located in Oakland, CA. My passion is to provide safe, natural and effective wellness options for parents to combat illness and support healthy physical and emotional development in their children. Incorporating essential oils into my practice has provided at-home tools to empower patients in their own healing process, as well as, an opportunity to work with families that do not have access to a pediatric acupuncturist.

Need More Support?

If you want to learn more about essential oils, I’d love to help. Click here to sign up for a free Essential Oils 101 introduction.

Looking for a pediatric acupuncturist or wellness mentor, set up a discovery consultation to see if working with me would be a good fit.

Let’s make this school year the happy and healthiest ever! I am here to help.