Using essential oils to help alleviate certain autism symptoms is a look into how our family increases Logan’s quality of life by bringing him relief. Before the haters jump out of the woodwork to attack me, we are not trying to cure Logan’s autism.
What we are trying to do is help him be the healthiest and happiest he can be with autism. As with everything in autism, what works for one child with autism may not work for another child with autism.
Using essential oils to help with autism symptoms has been life changing for our family. Before oils, we had so many sleepless nights. It was impossible to go out to eat or shop. Communication was non existent as was eye contact. Now, we don’t require eye contact in Autismland but he wasn’t even aware we were in the room.
Autism had him essentially locked in his own little world. Essential oils didn’t make these problems vanish. What they did do was ease these symptoms so we could help him join in with us more and allow us into his space. It also helped ease the burden on the family which made our home life better and allows us to help Logan better.
I was first introduced to EOs a few years ago from a fellow crunchy mama. I thought she had clearly lost her mind and jumped on the essential oil cult wagon. Sometimes what we consider off the wall is exactly what is needed to help our children manage their autism with minimal side effects.
A natural approach is always a great place to start as is having an open mind to unconventional therapies. Autism has a habit of introducing you to things you never knew existed. If the natural approach doesn’t work, you can always move to more conventional medicines. But what if natural solutions worked?
Using Essential Oils To Help Alleviate Certain Autism Symptoms
Peppermint
Peppermint is a great fever reducer. In a pinch, I put a drop right on the forehead. The ideal is to have a rollerball with a mixture of 3-5 drops of peppermint oil mixed with a carrier oil like fractionated coconut oil. You can then rub this mixture on the forehead or the back of the neck when a fever strikes.
I use the same formula on the base of the neck where the brain stem is when motion sickness hits while traveling. Peppermint is a permanent fixture in my house and travel backpack.
Lavender
Lavender works great for relaxing and winding down before bedtime. Sleep has always been elusive in our autism household. For years, Logan would only sleep an hour and a half per night. Michael and I had to take shifts so he didn’t hurt himself.
Something had to change! Diffusing lavender at night helped to calm and relax him. We also put some in a spray bottle with water to mist the pillow cases and sheets.
Another great option is to use the Counting Sheep rollerball at the temples and the back of the ears. The bottom of the feet is always a good place to apply oils on children as well. The base of the neck is a great place regardless of the oil you’re using.
Be careful using loads of lavender around boys. It can mess up their endocrine systems and spur breast growth. The research is still inconclusive on that but it’s important to know it’s a possibility. Since Logan has always had high testosterone levels, this has not been our experience. It’s always smart to be aware of the possible side effects.
One more great use for lavender is for first aid. Lots of children with autism can not handle the sensory input of a band-aid. A drop or two of lavender essential oil helps the bleeding stop when there is a small cut or scratch. We also use it for minor burns, sunburns, and bug bites. Ouchie blend is perfect for traveling. It is easy to apply and transport for on-the-go.
Cedarwood
Cedarwood is also an option for sleep issues if you don’t want to use lavender. Cedarwood is a calming and sedative type of oil. This oil helps you “shut down” at night and calm your mind before going to sleep. We use this oil in combination with or in place of lavender before bedtime. It doesn’t seem to mess with the endocrine system like lavender does in boys. Diffuse it or put in roller ball with a carrier oil.
Vetiver
Vetiver essential oil is said to be psychologically grounding, calming, and stabilizing. It was studied by Dr. Terry Friedmann for improving children’s behavior with ADD and ADHD. It may help people cope with stress and recover better from emotional trauma and shock. It can be so useful for when meltdowns occur out of the blue. Diffusing it is our go to choice. It helps when mom is in a bad mood too. Not that that ever happens in Autismland.
Some of our favorite blends for essential oils to alleviate autism symptoms:
- calming and vetiver
- Bergamont
- balance and tranquility
- wild orange and roman chamomile
How to Apply Essential Oils
- Topically, by mixing a few drops with fractionated coconut oil then applying to the base of the neck, the forehead, or the balls of the feet with a roller ball.
- Adding a few drops to a diffuser.
- Adding one or two drops directly on the child. Be careful with this as some oils are considered hot and can burn, so look at the label beforehand.
- Start with the bottom of the feet. The bottom of the feet are where your vitaflex points are located. Vitaflex points areas that affect other parts of your body (ie. the bottom of the big toe connects to the brain). Not only that, you absorb faster through the bottom of your feet except for ingesting something. If ingestion is not an option then bottom of the feet is the next best thing. Bonus that the child can’t smell it as much when it’s on the feet. Put on some socks and you have no sensory aversion to the smell.
That’s how we use essential oils here in Autismland. Sometimes they work immediately and thoroughly and sometimes it’s slow going. It’s the same way with medication. Have you found a natural way to alleviate autism symptoms in your child? Join our Facebook group, Life In Autismland, and tell us what worked for you.
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