Classroom Diffusing

This is an article taken from http://www.planttherapy.com/blog/2016/01/07/classroom-diffusing/

I found it to be very helpful as I have many people in my life who are teachers who use essential oils.

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On the surface, the act of diffusing in the classroom sounds like a great idea, until you take a closer look and understand the implications. There are many reasons it sounds like a good idea to diffuse in a classroom setting, here are a few reasons a teacher may choose to diffuse in their classroom

1. Kids carry and pass around a lot of germs! Let’s face it, they aren’t adept at personal hygiene  yet! 
2. A learning space should feel calm, and kids need focus while learning, so logically it sounds beneficial to use essential oils that may potentially help create that type of environment.

To be completely honest, I think that teachers have no business diffusing in their classrooms without parental consent. As a teacher, you are not allowed to give a child an aspirin or allergy medication – why should using an essential oil be any different? Some children may react in a completely opposite manner than you intend them to. Some children may have asthma, an allergy to citrus  or deal with sensory processing disorder (SPD) and have an issue with strong scents or certain scents. Diffusing without allowing for input from parents is dangerous. School boards must adapt and adopt new policies when it comes to these practices, just as they have had to adopt allergy free “zones” or disallow homemade treats in classrooms for the safety of those who may have a negative reaction.

We all know that essential oils are so amazing, and in recent years have caused quite the trend in natural personal care, empowering families and allowing some to avoid visits to the doctor, take care of minor injuries and calm or uplift spirits. We can all agree that essential oils are amazing tools. BUT there are things that essential oils don’t do. At Plant Therapy – we strive for transparency and the education of our customers. With this in mind, let’s take a look at a few things that essential oils DO NOT do:

1. Essential oils do not CURE diseases. Instead, essential oils help support functions {like immune response} that allow the body to do it’s job more efficiently. This is why we recommend you do not use essential oils daily, as a preventative, but rather when needed for illnesses. We don’t use antibiotics BEFORE we become ill, so why use an essential oil in the same way? For injuries, this means increasing blood flow or reducing swelling allowing the body to do the work of healing. Essential oils do not “heal” the injury. In the case of an injury, it’s best to use essential oils for the shortest time possible, then either rotate it with something else or discontinue use.
2. Essential oils do NOT replace medication. Listen, I am just as “natural” as the next person. I strive for balance in my own life and urge you to do the same. It’s important to remember that we have come so far in the medical world. Physicians attend years of schooling in order to properly evaluate, diagnose and treat illnesses and other concerns. It’s foolish to think we can exist in a world without allopathic medicine. For emotional support or to manage minor pain – essential oils can be amazing tools. There is a time and place for modern medicine, and please don’t replace your prescription medication without first consulting with your family doctor.
3. Essential oils should NOT be your go-to for every situation. Essential oils AREN’T for everyone or all situations.Please remember there are oils to avoid if you take certain medications or have certain health concerns, like diabetes or a blood clotting disorder.
4. Essential oils DON’T last forever. We have discussed this in some detail before. Essential oils do have a shelf life, and you need to know what that is. Although they don’t expire (like food) once they oxidize, they can cause irritation to the skin or mucus membranes. For a refresher, refer to these three posts: Do Essential Oil Expire?, Proper Essential Oil Storage, and Essential Oil Shelf Life (includes a chart!).

We live in an era where a child can be allergic to various things, and sometimes not even realize it. We all want the best for our kids. In a world where there are so many synthetics and chemicals, it’s nice to have the option of using something more natural. However, just because something is natural doesn’t make it completely safe. Essential oils should be used with caution around children. Education is the key to safe use! All children are different! These are general guidelines. However, there are certain oils to avoid with children such as birch and wintergreen because of the concern of developing Reye’s Syndrome. Oils high in menthol or 1,8-cineole should also be avoided since they can cause breathing concerns with young children. While this is rare – it can occur and should be taken seriously when choosing essential oils. The good news is there are so many oils that cover some of the same therapeutic properties that age-appropriate oils are easy to find!

Children under the age of two have the most restrictions on use. Essential oils for use on children ages 2 – 10 can be found here – kid safe chart. Once a child has reached age 10, unless they’ve shown a sensitivity or other reaction, nearly all oils are safe for use.

 Dilution rate

What is a dilution rate? This refers to the amount of essential oil in comparison to the amount of carrier oil (like grapeseed or coconut oil). We have a reference chart that lists the proper dilution rates. For children age 2 – 10 we recommend a 0.5% – 1% dilution. Here are a few of the reasons you want to dilute your oils:

• To avoid skin reactions like rashes and phototoxicity (a severe sun reaction)
• Children are still developing and their bodies don’t react in the same way an adults does.
• To avoid a systemic issue like hepatoxicity or neurotoxicity (which are rare, but can occur).

Constituents to avoid

There are a few constituents that you want to avoid using on with certain children. They are listed below with the reasons why you’d want to avoid them

• High menthol content in an essential oil, as found in Japanese peppermint and Peppermint, can slow breathing in very young children.
• 1,8-Cineole. In excess of 40%, this is another constituent that can slow breathing in young children as previously mentioned. Found in Eucalyptus.
• Methyl salicylate. Some people have sensitivity and this can cause issues for kids who have symptoms of ADHD. Also – this should be avoided generally in kids because of Reye’s Syndrome (as mentioned above)

Diffusing times

Diffusing should be kept to under 30 minutes for most kids. Extended periods of diffusion can increase the risks associated with sensitization – an extremely unfortunate side effect of over use (either inhaled or topically) to better understand this phenomenon, please refer to this article: Sensitization

Even after obtaining permission from the school board and parents, the concerns surrounding diffusing can extend beyond students and teachers. Many people enter a school each day from delivery person(s) to grandparents and other community members. It’s impossible to know who will/will not have a negative reaction to an oil being diffused. So, for the sake of public safety – I believe that essential oils should remain in the purview of your own home, or when in public the use of a personal inhaler should be used to limit other’s exposure!

Soooooo – just what are your options if you’d like to make aromatherapy a place in your classroom (or for your student at school) Check out our wonderful selection of aroma-jewelry or the cute personal inhalers so the scent can remain personal and not effect those around us!