| "> | | | | go, ground them so that they can focus on one thing |
| How excited do kids get with the start of school | | | | at a time and anything is achievable. |
| approaching? Getting kids to go from the freedom of | | | | In aromatherapy there is one essential oil in particular |
| school holidays to move to that place of being settled | | | | that is excellent at keeping people of any size |
| and ready for school can be a challenge for some | | | | grounded. That essential oil is Vetiver (Vetiveria |
| parents. Many children now days are identified as | | | | zizanoides). Vetiver is distilled from the roots of a tall |
| being ADD and ADHD I call these kids "go fasts" and | | | | grass like plant and it has a very earthy and musky |
| the transition from holidays to school can be a bit more | | | | aroma. Over the years Vetiver has been my most |
| of a challenge for these kids. Being a "go fast" kid is | | | | used oil in clinic. |
| fine, they are full of excitement and life, but it does not | | | | In a two-year study Dr. Terry Friedman MD worked |
| always suite the classroom environment. So how do | | | | with children between the ages of 6 to 12 years, |
| you handle the transition time as they move into the | | | | looking to identify the uses of essential oils in the |
| structures of a new school year and a classroom | | | | treatment of ADD and ADHD. Twenty children not |
| environment? | | | | diagnosed with ADD/ADHD were used as the control |
| An easy way to assist the transition process is to | | | | group and twenty children with a confirmed diagnosis |
| integrate some basic aromatherapy into your child's | | | | of ADD/ADHD were used as the study group. A |
| routine. Aromatherapy is a simple and effective way | | | | blend of essential oils was created using Vetiver, |
| to create a calm, grounded and positive environment | | | | Cedarwood and Lavender and the children were |
| for your children and environment. Now we know that | | | | encouraged to inhale the aroma whenever they felt |
| you cannot control the classroom environment, but | | | | "scattered". The children were assessed over a |
| what you can do is take that environment the child is | | | | 30-day period on each essential oil. |
| used to and move it into the classroom. This way you | | | | When the children inhaled the oils their brainwaves |
| are transforming the child's environment to one where | | | | settled back into their normal patterns, which helped |
| they make the transition easier. This transformation | | | | improve their behaviour and scholastic performance. |
| can be achieved easily with aromatherapy. All that is | | | | The results of the study showed that Lavender |
| need is to place a few drops of essential oil on a | | | | increased performance by 53%, Cedarwood |
| tissue to be inhaled during the day as needed or a | | | | increased performance by 83% and Vetiver increased |
| massage a couple of drops of the oil onto the soles of | | | | performance by 100%. Essential oils are not the only |
| their feet before school. | | | | answer but are very effect and simple to integrate |
| Throughout my years in clinic I have worked with | | | | into a child's environment to assist with handling life's |
| many schoolteachers who have used essential oils in | | | | challenges. |
| their classrooms to help ground kids especially after | | | | In Dr Friedman's study the essential oils were inhaled or |
| they race around at lunch breaks. I have also worked | | | | used with an aromatherapy vaporiser. In my clinic I also |
| with parents and carers using similar essential oils to | | | | found it very useful to blend the essential oils into a |
| ground kids before and after school. | | | | base oil and massage it onto the child's feet where |
| As a naturopath, I have found that "go fast" kids | | | | they are quickly absorbed. The following is the blend I |
| cannot always settle, simply because their minds are | | | | have used with my patients and found to be very |
| so creative and they are not grounded, and it is sad to | | | | effective. If you want to vaporise the blend, simply use |
| see the creativity being suppressed with medications. | | | | the essential oils in the vaporiser and if you wish to |
| Yes, there are many factors influencing why kids are | | | | apply the oils to your child's skin dilute 5 drops of the |
| going fast, but I have found grounding them is a simple | | | | essential oil into 50ml of cold pressed almond oil that |
| place to start and then they function like everyone | | | | you can get from your local health food store. |
| else, while still retaining their creativity. When a person | | | | Go Fast Kids Blend |
| of any size is grounded they can be attentive and | | | | Try vaporising my own "Sanity Saver" blend containing |
| stay focused, sit still and cope with pressures that are | | | | Vetiver, Geranium, Australian Sandalwood, Patchouli |
| presented. In clinic I have treated adults going far faster | | | | and Ylang Ylang. This simple and earthy blend stops |
| than any kid is going to go by using the same system | | | | their minds racing so that you can focus on one thing |
| of getting them grounded first. We are all human and | | | | at a time. It helps to restore some peace and balance |
| get caught up in life, kids pick up on everything that is | | | | to all of your lives. I use the same blend to keep me |
| going on, that excitement can build and it has to come | | | | grounded during my busy brain times. |
| out somewhere. The more stimulated, the faster they | | | | |