Whether it's constant trips to the doctor's office, ‘swimmer's ear' in the summer, or even discomfort when little teeth pop out, ears can really be a place our kids need support. And we have that covered! Here are some of our best tips for handling the bumps in the road when it comes to healthy, happy ears (and some of them may surprise you!)

There are a lot of things that can affect our children's ears and cause discomfort:

• Acute immune system needs
• Travel, especially in planes
• Air quality changes
• Exposure to water, especially with chlorine
• Improper drainage, drainage pathways being blocked
• Improper gut balance, Candida overgrowth

So when we talk about having healthy, happy ears, we will be talking about supporting other areas of health as well!

FAVORITES FOR ALL THINGS KIDS & EARS

• Purification Essential Oil Blend - purifying and cleansing
• Lemon Essential Oil - cleansing and immune supportive
• Thieves Essential Oil Blend - immune supportive
• Copaiba Essential Oil - calming and soothing
• Lavender Essential Oil - calming
• MightyPro Pre/probiotic - for gut health and balance

IMMUNE SYSTEM & THE EARS When we have immune system needs, our ears are often one of the areas affected. Whether it is from increased mucus production, pressure on the small passageways in the ears, or drainage through nasal passageways, the ears can become uncomfortable with acute needs.

These oils and products are our mainstays when it comes to immune health, which is crucial for healthy ears! Grab a few and build your support cabinet. Use the oils in roller blends (recipes below!), add to bath salts, even diffuse.

Thieves essential oil blend Thieves is THE oil when it comes to immune health. This blend of Clove, Rosemary, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus and Lemon boasts some incredible antimicrobial properties, making it a great choice for supporting the immune system.

Lemon essential oil Lemon is a wonderful natural mucolytic, making it a great choice for both immune and respiratory support! Cleansing and purifying, this citrus oil can help break up things lurking in the chest or around the eardrum.

Frankincense essential oil Frankincense is a powerhouse overall - antioxidants, respiratory support, and immune support! Add this oil to your chest rub, roll it on the spine, around the ears, or add to epsom salts for an immune bath.

Inner Defense softgels Inner Defense uses germ kicking essential oils including Oregano, Thyme, and Thieves to reinforce systemic defenses, promote healthy respiratory function, and offer immune support. These liquid capsules dissolve quickly for maximum results and help the body create an unfriendly terrain for yeast and fungus. For younger children, we love to poke a hole in the capsule and apply it to the bottom of the feet or along the spine.

DIFFUSER & ROLLER BLENDS Healthy Ears Roller Great to have on hand for kids! Just remember to never put oils IN the ear, simply around them. Roll around the outside of the ear and down over the lymph nodes.

• 15 drops each Purification, Lemon
• 10 drops Copaiba
• Carrier of choice

Summer Swim Ear Roller Use after showering and cleaning the ears as desired post swim. Roll around the outside of the ears and down the lymph nodes.

• 15 drops Purification, Roman Chamomile
• 10 drops each Lavender, Copaiba
• Carrier of choice

Immune Boost Roller This blend can be used daily or more acutely as needed. For acute needs, use liberally and frequently. Consider rolling on every minute for 10 minutes, every 10 minutes for an hour and every hour thereafter. Note: for younger children you can cut the recipe in half.

• 20 drops Thieves
• 15 drops Lemon, Purification, Frankincense
• 10 drops Oregano
• Carrier of choice

SURVIVING SPRING BLOOMS When the flowers start blooming, the pollen starts flying, and many of us start sniffling, and our ears can feel stopped up! When allergens are in the air (from nature or otherwise!) it can definitely affect the health of our ears. You can use the roller blend above around the ear, but try some of these things as well for whole body support. Often when you support other areas, the ears follow suit!

• Lavender, Lemon & Peppermint (LLP): this trio is THE springtime blend! Diffuse it, roll it on your chest, neck and even just inside the nostrils to help combat the pollen. Keep it on and around you 24/7! If you need a little more, add Copaiba or Tea Tree to the mix.
• Lavender Vitality: a Lavender swipe on the inside of the cheek or a drop under your tongue a few times a day is another great springtime habit. Lavender is nature's antihistamine!
• AllerZyme capsules: this enzyme complex is ideal for individuals with dietary sensitivities, so it can also help with seasonal needs!
• Use the DIY Nasal Salts, Sinus Support Steam, Changing Seasons Oral Spray and capsules listed below! Also the Immune Boost Bath is amazing.

GUT HEALTH & THE EARS It may seem strange to talk about gut health when what is grabbing your attention is ear discomfort, but in many cases Candida or other overgrowth in the gut can cause ear issues! It is important to work with a trusted clinician if you have known imbalances, but there is a lot you can do to support gut and ear health on a daily basis as well!

• MightyPro Probiotic: a unique, synergistic blend of prebiotics and probiotics that is specially formulated for children. Packaged in easy, one-dose packets that can be taken almost anywhere you go, this supplement features over 8 billion active, live cultures to support digestive and immune health.
• NingXia Red: this antioxidant-rich drink provides nutrients, immune support, respiratory support and more that can go a long way in our little ones' overall health!

HEALTHY HABITS DIYS Immune Boost Bath This is the recipe we swear by for acute immune needs! If you don't have all these oils, use what you have on hand. Feel free to play with the number of drops for a recipe that is exactly what you want!

• 15 drops Ravintsara
• 6 drops Frankincense
• 6 drops Idaho Blue Spruce
• 3 drops Dorado Azul
• 2 drops Eucalyptus Radiata
• 1 drop Wintergreen
• Add oils to epsom salt and mix well, then run hot water into the jar of salts/oils and overflow into the tub to mix!

Immune Boost Bath for Kids A more diluted version for the even smaller ones! You can use your judgment here for how much/what you want to include.

• 5 drops Frankincense
• 2 drops Idaho Blue Spruce
• 1 drop Dorado Azul
• 1-2 drops Oregano
• Add oils to epsom salt and mix well, then run hot water into the jar of salts/oils and overflow into the tub to mix!

Sinus Support Steam Pot When you're needing some relief from the pressure that spring can cause your sinuses, give this tried and true trick a go!

• Bowl of very hot, steaming water
• 2 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
• 2-3 drops Dorado Azul Essential Oil
• Add essential oils to the water (start with the lower end and add more as desired). Place a towel over your head and sit with your head above the steam bath to open the airways

DIY Nasal Salts

• 5 drops Lavender essential oil
• 7 drops Copaiba essential oil
• 8 Tbsp of ultra fine salt (unprocessed, no iodine)
• Ceramic Neti pot
• Mix well and store in a sealed glass jar. To use, dissolve 1 tsp of salt mixture into 1&1/2 cups of distilled water (or water from a Berkey filter or boil and cool some water), then add to your Neti pot and use as needed.

Changing Seasons Oral Spray

• 10mL glass spray bottle
• 1 drop each Lavender Vitality, Copaiba Vitality, Peppermint Vitality
• 2 drops Orange Vitality, Lemon Vitality
• Splash Thieves Mouthwash, optional
• Filtered water
• Add all ingredients into a spray bottle and shake well. Spritz into your mouth daily or as desired!

DIY Season's Change Capsules

• 2oz glass dropper bottle
• 30 drops each Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, Copaiba Vitality
• Olive oil to desired dilution (about 2 Tbsp)
• When you're ready to make a capsule, fill an empty vegetable capsule with a dropperful of the blend and take as desired.