Essential Oils for Children with ADHD

Essential Oils for ADHD Children

Specific essential oils for concentration that are believed to help children with ADHD include:

• Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile): soothes and comforts


• Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): calms and reduces anxiety


• Mandarin (Citrus reticulata): quiets, especially when combined with lavender

Here are some other essential oils that have been used with some success:

• Ylang ylang (Cananga odorata): sedates and calms the emotions


• Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides): calms, focuses the mind


• Frankincense (Boswellia frereana): supports the immune system


• Patchouli (Pogostemom cablin): soothes the nervous system

What Are Essential Oils?

Essential Oils are extracts from the leaves, roots, stems, flowers and seeds of various plants. The oils are distilled into extremely concentrated forms and contain active ingredients that are thought to have beneficial effects. The use of essential oils as treatment for various ailments is known as aromatherapy.

A 2 percent dilution is standard for adults, and it should be reduced to 1 percent for children.

Side effects that may occur include skin irritations that usually present as painful rashes and blotches when oils are undiluted or are adulterated. The reaction may occur after several applications of the essential oil, and some oils cause the skin to react when exposed to the sun’s rays. Other oils may cause severe reactions of the mucus membranes, such as in the nose, eyes, mouth and genitalia. Be sure to use oils that are graded as safe for internal use and have supplement facts on the bottle. 

Essential Oils for Children with ADHD