Essential Oils to Support Neurological Development, Behavior and Cognition in Children

I have heard more and more stories recently of people in my circle using essential oils to support neurological developmental, behavior and cognition in children, and I am using them with my patients with equally good results. I want to highlight a few of the oils and blends that I think are the most applicable and helpful for these children. These oils help with neurological development, act to support antioxidant activity (oxidative stress plays a big part in neurological problems), maintain healthy levels of inflammation, calm the nervous system for better emotional balance, and assist with focus and cognition.

Frankincense

Frankincense supports the central nervous system, and is good for anything neurological. It is great for emotional balance too. It can be applied on soles of feet, or base of skull. For older kids and adults, it can be taken internally – either under the tongue, or in a capsule and swallowed. Frankincense is also an amazing oil to help manage inflammation in the body and/ or brain.

Focus Blend

This is a blend that already comes in a roller bottle, so it’s very handy. It contains Amyris Bark, Patchouli Leaf, Frankincense Resin, Lime Peel, Ylang Ylang Flower, Hawaiian Sandalwood Wood and Roman Chamomile Flower. Focus blend is designed to support focus and concentration, and mental acuity. It encourages optimal learning; while at the same time is very grounding and calming. It can be applied around the neck area, but it is very strong smelling, so many prefer it on soles of the feet. You could also apply it on the wrists or back of hands.

Grounding Blend

This is a blend for emotional balance and comfort. It contains Spruce Needle/Leaf, Ho Wood, Frankincense Resin, Blue Tansy Flower, and Blue Chamomile Flower in a base of Fractionated Coconut Oil. This is my favorite blend; it is very grounding and centering. This is because it contains mostly woods and barks – they contain a lot of base notes, which are long acting. It can be diffused or applied on the soles of the feet, and is not to be taken internally.

Calming Blend

This is another blend for soothing and calming the emotions. It has more floral notes such as lavender scents than the Grounding Blend. It contains Lavender Flower, Sweet Marjoram Leaf, Roman Chamomile Flower, Ylang Ylang Flower, Hawaiian Sandalwood essential oils and Vanilla Bean. Calming Blend promotes relaxation and sleep and it is often used for this purpose; it is excellent to use in the bath and before bed. It can also be diffused overnight.

Cellular Complex

One of my favorite blends for kids, Cellular Complex contains Frankincense, Wild Orange, Lemongrass, Thyme, Summer Savory, Clove, and Niaouli essential oils. It has been shown in clinical studies to help protect cells against free-radical damage while supporting healthy cellular function. It is good for focus, cognition and emotional balance; it works on cellular repair and regeneration. Cellular Complex comes in liquid or softgel form.

Protective Blend

This is an immune strengthening blend that helps to combat seasonal threats, which can often be a struggle for kids. It can be diffused or applied on the soles of the feet. It can also be mixed with water in a spray bottle and used as a cleanser/ disinfectant (we use it on high chairs at restaurants and on plane seats, tray tables etc). Protective Blend contains Wild Orange Peel, Clove Bud, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus Leaf, and Rosemary Leaf/Flower essential oils.

Digestive Blend

This is a blend to help settle most digestive issues. It also comes in oil or softgels. The oil can be taken internally, but it is better for kids to dilute in coconut oil and apply directly on abdomen. It contains ginger Rhizome/Root, Peppermint Plant, Caraway Seed, Coriander Seed, Anise Seed, Tarragon Plant, and Fennel Seed essential oils.

The way I have been using these oils with Valentina is mostly in roller bottles. We have a roller bottle with Protective Blend (1 part) and fractionated coconut oil (3 parts). We have another one that has frankincense, Cellular Complex and fractionated coconut oil in equal parts. At night after bath we do one roll of each blend, one on each foot. Valentina is very healthy and she is neurotypical, but I still believe that these oils are so beneficial for supporting healthy cellular function and neurological development, they’re important for all kids to have. I have been hearing many stories of children being helped, transformed even, through using these oils. Their family life is improving, they are more social, they are performing better in school. It’s quite amazing and rewarding to see the difference.

* FDA regulations prohibit me from being able to use actual product names on this website. Please email me if you would like more information, I am happy to share it with you.