5 Antiviral Essential Oils for Back-to-School

Back-to-School Essential Oils

My sociable grandson Roscoe attends a wonderful nature preschool run by responsible, loving people. Yet he often brings home the sniffles. Most parents of little children are familiar with this situation. Children’s immune systems are still developing, especially when they’re so young, leaving them susceptible to viruses. Sometimes it seems like no sooner has Roscoe recovered from one cold, than he’s coming down with another. 

Now that it’s back-to-school season, older children will find themselves exposed to more viruses and microbes, too. While most schools and care centers do not diffuse essential oils around children, we can use essential oils at home to help them stay healthy.

In this post, you’ll learn the Aromahead Approach^® to using antiviral essential oils for children to prevent the spread of colds as they go back to school. 

We will cover:

A method to prevent respiratory infections from taking hold.

• 5 Antiviral essential oils I trust with children.

• 3 Recipes to use as soon as children get home.

Aromahead Institute has an entire course focused on viral infections and clearing them up. Please sign up if you’re truly interested in preventing infections. Now is the perfect time to increase your knowledge, as we’re moving into the season when viruses can spread more easily. 

Using Essential Oils for Kids: The Aromahead Approach^® 

I generally take a conservative approach to using essential oils for children. Too much essential oil can be overwhelming for their developing systems. 

Fortunately, it really doesn’t take much essential oil to nudge them in the direction of health. 

For the youngest—babies and children younger than 5—I often don’t use essential oils on them directly. Instead, I suggest using essential oils around them. Here are a few ways we can go about this…

• Diffuse the oils around them.

• Use room spray or linen spray.

• Apply the oils to Mom, Dad or a caretaker, where the child will breathe them in when held.

I also avoid using harsh household cleaning products around children. I have personally experienced how commercial cleaning products can compromise our health, leading to sneezing, sniffles, and chest congestion. (Read my story here.) If harsh products affect me so strongly, surely our children can react just as easily, if not more so. 

Diffusing Essential Oils After School

We can’t change the fact that children are exposed to viruses when they’re at school, playing with their friends. 

However, we can have our diffusers ready to go as soon as they get home. 

Many respiratory viruses spread through the air, meaning their introduction to the body is in the nasal cavity. Many antiviral essential oils work by disrupting “free viruses”—which means viruses that have not yet infected host cells. So if children can breathe in essential oils within a few hours, we may be able to prevent the virus from replicating and infecting cells. 

For adults and bigger children, we might use inhalers. But for little ones, I prefer diffusion. 

We can have the diffuser running when they get home, and run it in the room where they’re playing for fifteen minutes every hour. (Many diffusers have timers you can set for 15 minutes.)

5 Antiviral Essential Oils for Kids

I chose five essential oils that children tend to love the aromas of. 

Benchmark Thyme (Thymus zygis)

I recently did a series of posts all about Benchmark Thyme, which is actually a blend of four varieties of Thyme. It’s a “superhero” antimicrobial oil thanks to the presence of thymol, a phenol molecule that can destroy viruses and bacteria. But Benchmark Thyme is also gentle enough that I love using it for kids. 

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Linalool is the main component in Lavender essential oil. It plays a starring role in Lavender’s ability to calm the nervous system, help settle our minds, and soothe our emotions. It has also shown antiviral properties in several research studies. 

Cedarwood (Juniperus virginiana)

Woodsy essential oils, such as Cedarwood, are rich in phytoncides—organic compounds found in trees. In studies, these phytoncides have been shown to boost the immune system. They support the activity of white blood cells, which have the big job of destroying infected or unhealthy cells throughout the body.

Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)

Sweet Orange also supports immune health! It contains d-limonene, which has been shown to boost white blood cells and reduce viral activity. Plus, children just love the fresh, fruity scent of Sweet Orange oil! 

Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)

Another essential oil that increases the cell count and activity of your white blood cells! Thanks to a little molecule called terpinen-4-ol, Tea Tree has become one of the most famous essential oils for fighting viruses. It has shown the ability to disrupt viral membranes. 

Diffuser Blends: Back-to-School Essential Oil Recipes 

These recipes are for when children come home from school, preschool, and daycare. The oils are safe to diffuse even around very young children and babies. I recommend switching up the oils you diffuse from day to day. That gives children’s bodies support from several different angles. 

Benchmark Thyme & Lavender

• 6 drops Benchmark Thyme essential oil (Thymus zygis)

• 3 drops Lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia) 

Sweet Orange & Tea Tree

• 5 drops Tea Tree essential oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) 

• 5 drops Sweet Orange essential oil (Citrus sinensis)

Cedarwood & Benchmark Thyme

• 5 drops Cedarwood essential oil (Juniperus virginiana)

• 4 drops Benchmark Thyme essential oil (Thymus zygis)

My Takeaway

Incorporating antiviral essential oils into your back-to-school routine is a nurturing way to naturally support your family’s immune system, regardless of age. Diffusing these five oils at home creates a gentle, fragrant shield against common colds, while also providing a warm, soothing environment that supports overall well-being during this time when viruses spread more easily. Be prepared and have your remedies handy.

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