Essential Oils in Pediatrics

• A fellow Pediatrician I greatly respect compiled his meta-analysis of essential oils in the pediatric population:

http://www.checkupnewsroom.com/essential-oils-and-their-use-on-children
http://www.checkupnewsroom.com/essential-oils-and-children---more-questions-answered/
http://www.checkupnewsroom.com/how-safe-are-essential-oils/

• Here is a chart of essential oils to avoid in children that I borrowed from our Pediatric pharmacy newsletter.  

< 2 yrs	Basil Benzoin Black Seed Cassia Clove Garlic Ginger Lily Hyssop Lemon Leaf	Lemongrass Massoia May Chang Melissa/ Lemon Balm Myrtle honey Myrtle (lemon)/Sweet- Verbana Oakmoss	Opopanax Oregano Peru Balsam Saffron Sage (Wild- Mountain) Savory Styrax Tea Leaf	Tea Tree Treemoss Tuberose Turpentine Verbena Ylang-Ylang
< 5 yrs	Anise/Aniseed	Fennel	Myrtel aniseed
< 6 yrs	Cajuput Cardamon Cornmint Galangal Ho Leaf/Ravintsara	Laurel Leaf/Bay- Laurel Marjoram Myrtle red Niaouli	Peppermint Rambiazana Rosemary Sage (Greek) Sage (White)	Sanna Saro
< 10 yrs	Eucalyptus
All Children	Birch	Chaste Tree	Wintergreen

• In addition to these, the endocrinologists at Cooks recommend avoiding Lavender due to concerns for prepubertal gynecomastia in boys. (breast growth)

• FYI: Thieves blend contains eucalyptus and so should not be used in children <10.   

Edris AE.  Pharmaceutical and therapeutic potentials of essential oils and their individual volatile constituents: a review.  Phytother Res. 2007;21 (4): 308-323.
 Tisserand R, Young R. Essential Oil Safety: A guide for Health Care Professionals. 2nd ed. London, England: Churchill Livingstone; 2014'