Marsha, Thank you for your original question! I am excited because at the very least, this has sparked an educated discussion about essential oils. We are all educated people genuinely concerned about the health and care of our children and their families.
Elizabeth, I agree with you that people have reactions to 100% pure high quality oils...physically, emotionally, positively, and sometimes even negatively. I am definitely not saying just because it is all natural, a negative reaction is not possible. It seems like there are a lot of variables in both of the situations you have mentioned. I would want to ask more questions about both situations before concluding the reactions were caused by the essential oils. I agree that these oils can change a child's behavior but it can also change a child's behavior in an amazingly positive way. I understand that all the essential oils affect people differently and we have to be considerate of that.
I used to be the lead toddler teacher at a previous child care facility. I did get all the parents to sign a permission slip before I diffused essential oils in my classroom. As teachers, we spend a lot of time with our students and know them very well. I observed the children's behavior and picked which oils to diffuse based off of their responses. Also, when you are diffusing, it is a just a few drops of essential oil in about a cup of water. (depending on the size of the diffuser and room) It is not an overwhelming smell like it is when you just sniff it directly out of the bottle.
Essential oils are a great way for Early Childhood to move toward more natural solutions and get away from the chemicals. I am sure the diluted bleach water we spray on all of the toys the babies are mouthing is not ideal for their little bodies. Don't get me wrong. I still used the diluted bleach water because, as of right now, that is the standard. My hope is that this will change.
I also used natural essential oil cleaners and natural essential oil foaming hand soap in my classroom. These are much better for our bodies than the "fragrance" from other cleaners and soaps that are used in many public facilities.
Also, image a baby walking barefoot on a mopped floor at their childcare center. The pores in their feet soak up all the product you have put on the floor. Do you want that to be a harsh chemical such as bleach soaking into the baby's body?
Just more to think about...NAEYC please consider more natural solutions when it comes to cleaning in child care facilities.
My biggest tips would be... 1. Check the Quality of your essential oil. Make sure it is 3rd party tested and you can look up the quality report. 2. Educate yourself about the use of essential oils.
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Sarah Tobias
Assistant Toddler Teacher
ISU Early Childhood Education Center
Terre Haute IN
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-27-2019 12:10 PM
From: Elizabeth Sherwood
Subject: Defuser use in Classrooms
I personally know several people who are highly reactive to high quality natural oils. The scents can trigger migraines and intense reactions such as hyperactivity, emotional outbursts, and panic attacks. Current thinking is that they may trigger histamine reactions in people who are sensitive to them. I have a family member who lost a weekend family reunion to migraine because another family member insisted that her all natural, very high quality lavender oil couldn't be harmful. Peanuts are all natural and we all know their potential for problems.
If you want to use essential oils, please check with your families. Also watch for any adverse behavior changes in children. One of my graduate students was concerned about a child's significant change in behavior. She talked with the family about any changes or concerns that might be the cause, but no one could figure it out. When the child's behavior returned to normal over winter break, but fell apart when school started, it occurred to her that the change started with her use of essential oils. Once she removed them from the classroom, the hyperactivity and anger went away.
Essential oils help many people, myself included, but they aren't for everyone.
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Elizabeth Sherwood
Professor
SIUE
Glen Carbon IL
Original Message:
Sent: 08-27-2019 12:50 AM
From: Mars April Caulton
Subject: Defuser use in Classrooms
Thank you for spelling this out, Sarah. I agree that even when we say Essential Oils, people assume that (1) it is a chemical and (2) it is used to cover up bad smells. Neither of those things should ever be done. What people are doing with essential oils generally is taking a few drops of a distillation from a flower or leaves, and using that scent to create a response such as Calm (lavender oil) or Joyful (orange oil) or Focused (rosemary oil.) These are plants that students might be exposed to already in a cooking activity or gardening activity 🙂.
I'd love to see a working committee on Nature-based health practices and their appropriateness in schools. Issues to look at should include obtaining informed parent consent, looking at existing allergies in the class, and the benefits of using these oils /plants (unless there is a rare allergy or reaction.)
Many therapists and consultants use things like Joy In A Bottle (a spray bottle of vanilla extract in water) or lavender oil in their homemade playdough in order to benefit from their therapeutic effects. People have safely used these natural plant oils for thousands of years. Let's keep dangerous chemicals away from classrooms (although bleach water is clearly more dangerous than vanilla extract!) But let's not "throw the baby out with the bath water" as the saying goes.
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Mars April Caulton
Teacher & Teaching Artist
Chicago IL
Original Message:
Sent: 08-25-2019 08:48 PM
From: Sarah Tobias
Subject: Defuser use in Classrooms
I am a Toddler Teacher. Children and Healthy Living are two of my greatest passions.
I understand we have to respect the NAEYC standards but I am hoping as the modern world becomes more knowledgeable about essential oils, these standards will change.
A true, 100% pure essential oil is nothing like a candle, air freshener, or anything with "fragrance." Fragrances really disrupt our hormones. Pure Essential Oils benefit our body physically and emotionally. They especially help boost our immune systems.
Now…you do have to consider the PURITY of the essential oils you are buying because right now, there are no guidelines on essential oils. They can say 100% pure even if they are NOT.
After doing about 6 months of research, I chose which company I wanted to buy my oils from. I have now been personally using these products for two years.
When I was teaching at a Non-licenced Registered Ministry, I even diffused the oils in my toddler classroom. I simply sent home a permission slip and included all the names of the oils I would be diffusing.
If I was going to compare a diffuser to anything, it would be more like an air purifier.
Anyways…I hope this information helps and encourages you to do more of your own research! If you would like to know which company I decided to buy my oils from, just ask me. 😊
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Sarah Tobias
Assistant Toddler Teacher
ISU Early Childhood Education Center
Terre Haute IN
Original Message:
Sent: 08-15-2019 02:49 PM
From: Marsha Drew
Subject: Defuser use in Classrooms
I know according to NAEYC, scented or unscented candles and air freshers are not to be used. Does this also cover defusers used during meditation/yoga time?