Autism and Essential Oils
Apr 21st 2021
Posted by Stephanie Chambers
by Stephanie Chambers and Dr. Christoph Streicher
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that is becoming increasingly common in the US and the world as a whole. It can make it hard for someone to communicate and interact with others. Some also have restrictive and/or repetitive behaviors. In the past, this disorder was broken into different diagnosis, such as Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. Since 2013, however, they have both been brought under the same umbrella of ASD. The degree to which various symptoms are experienced vary greatly from person to person and rest on a spectrum, hence the name Autism Spectrum Disorder. Sometimes, certain abilities are normal, or even superior, whereas other abilities are impaired. Many people with ASD don’t think of it as a problem as some actually see it as a positive and feel that neurotypical people are the ones who are limited in how they see the world
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1 in 36 children in the United States, about 2.8%, have been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This represents a significant increase over the past several decades, likely due to improved awareness, broader diagnostic criteria, and better access to services. Autism is about four times more common in boys than in girls. It is estimated that over 5 million adults in the U.S. are autistic, and recent global estimates suggest that more than 80 million people worldwide are on the autism spectrum.
There seem to be a number of different factors that can contribute to autism. Researchers have found that certain genetic mutations can increase the risk, and environmental influences on early brain development might also play a role. It's still unclear exactly which environmental factors are involved, but some think things like exposure to certain toxic chemicals during pregnancy could be a factor. In some rare cases, autism-like symptoms may appear after infections that affect the brain, such as meningitis, encephalitis, or complications from conditions like celiac disease. At one point, some people believed vaccines could cause autism, but that idea has been thoroughly studied and completely debunked as there is no scientific evidence supporting it. Most parents start noticing signs of autism in their child during the first two years of life. Sometimes, a child may seem to develop typically for a while, but then lose certain skills, like talking or interacting with others.
All autistic people don't have the exact same difficulties. But some commonly experienced ones are:
- understanding the feelings of others
- making friends
- understanding and using gestures and/or words
- learning to read and write
- changing from one activity to the next.
Some common behaviors include:
- repeating words just heard or words heard days or weeks earlier
- talking with little expression in their voice or using a sing-song voice
- meltdowns as a way to communicate likes and dislikes.
- flapping hands, rocking, spinning, staring, or other self-soothing behaviors
- becoming sensitive to certain sounds
- only wanting to eat a few foods
- having limited and/or unusual interests.
Children with autism appear to be helped by early speech and/or behavioral interventions. They can improve their ability to take care of themselves along with their social, and communication skills.
ESSENTIAL OILS HELP PROVIDE SENSORY STIMULATION
A study 1 on 28 autistic boys, aged 3 to 12, showed that those that were given daily olfactory / tactile stimulation, along with exercises that stimulated other paired sensory modalities, significantly improved their Childhood Autism Rating Scale, indicating better behavior and overall cognition when compared to the control group. Their parents also noticed the improvements.
The parents of children conducted two sessions a day (15-30 minutes) of four to seven exercises involving different combinations of sensory stimuli for touch, temperature, sight and movement. The olfactory stimulation was provided by exposure to scents such as Apple, Lavender, Lemon and Vanilla.
OTHER USES FOR ESSENTIAL OILS
Some parents of autistic children have also found that Essential Oils have helped their child as follows:
• To improve the ability to focus: Peppermint, Basil, Rosemary, Lime and Lemon.
• To improve sleep length and quality: Lavender.
• To promote relaxation: Orange and Mandarine.
• To reduce meltdowns: Atlas Cedarwood, Roman Chamomile, Cypress, Rose and Orange. Some have also found Vetiver useful, but we generally wouldn’t recommend it for children (or anyone who isn’t emotionally mature) because it is an advanced oil and children often don’t relate well to it.
• Grounding: Most of the previous Essential Oils like Rose are also grounding, but some additional ones are Clary Sage and Myrrh.
For the above oils, diffusing them is generally the best method for children, especially for focusing Essential Oils. You can also create a mist spray with Lavender and spray it on their pillows or use it in a bath. You can also dilute the calming and grounding oils and massage them in. The soothing oils can also be diluted and used in a bath.
Clearly, being autistic can be very stressful, as communication and the overwhelming world around them can be difficult. You may find Amrita’s page about stress management useful. Some people have found that stress-reducing techniques can also help. For example, Yvonne Kurtz2 has a son suffering from what used to be called Asperger’s Syndrome and she found that when her son started practicing Transcendental Meditation, his meltdowns stopped and his life as a whole started to improve.
We would appreciate it if you could share any experiences you have had in using Essential Oils for autism using the comments section below, so that we can all benefit.
Sources:
2 http://www.tm.org/blog/video/autism/
Disclaimer: The statements made in this blog have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They are not intended to diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. If a condition persists, please contact your physician or healthcare provider. The information provided is not a substitute for a face-to-face consultation with a healthcare provider, and should not be construed as medical advice.
Original Published: 2015-07-29 / Last Modified: 2025-5-21