People with autism certainly live with a lot of challenges. They have imbalanced sensitivity with either over-responsiveness (hypersensitivity) or under-responsiveness (hyposensitivity) and often have a hard time learning or focusing on tasks.

Autism and perfume have been found closely linked. While certain synthetic perfumes and the ingredients they contain may play an important role in the development of autism, some natural perfumes have been described to have noticeable positive effects in the treatment and management of autism.

Here we’ll discuss how autism and perfume are intertwined with each other according to scientific studies. But before starting with the link between autism and perfume, it’s worth knowing the basics of autism first. So, let’s dig a little deeper.

What is Autism?
Symptoms of autism
Causes of autism
Role of perfumes in autism development
How aromatherapy and essential oils can help with autism
How to use essential oils in autism
Precautions
Final words

What is Autism?

Autism, also known as an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the functioning of the brain and nervous system and weakens the ability to interact and communicate. Since autism often comes with a wide variety of symptoms and severity, the term “spectrum” is included in its name.

As autism impacts the brain and neurological functions, it harms the overall physical, emotional, social, and cognitive health of an affected person.

Though autism is considered incurable, certain behavioral, family, and educational therapies may help reduce the severity and symptoms and may support learning and development. Aromatherapy using natural perfumes and essential oils is also considered an effective therapy for the management and treatment of autism.

Symptoms of autism

Symptoms of autism widely vary depending on the severity of the condition. Signs and symptoms of autism can be classified into several categories such as developmental, behavioral, and psychological among others. Since most symptoms appear within the age of 2 years, autism is commonly considered a childhood disorder.

The most common symptoms of autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may include:

Developmental – speech and learning difficulties in children

Psychological – depression or unawareness of others’ feelings

Cognitive – issues in concentration or focus and excessive interest in certain limited things

Behavioral – inconsistent social interactions, impulsivity, poor body language or eye contact, repetitive movements, compulsive behavior, or repetition of actions or words

Common – tremor in muscles, change in voice, anxiety, or sensitivity to smells, sounds, tastes, touch, etc.

… the environmental factors that may induce genetic mutations in vitro have not been clearly identified, and there is little irrefutable evidence that pesticides, water born chemicals, or food preservatives play critical roles in inducing the genetic mutations associated with known intellectual deficiencies that have been linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here, we hypothesize and provide scientific evidence that ASD is the result of exposure to perfumes and cosmetics. The highly mutagenic, neurotoxic, and neuromodulatory chemicals found in perfumes are often overlooked and ignored as a result of a giant loophole in the Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act of 1973, which explicitly exempts fragrance producers from having to disclose perfume ingredients on product labels.

Role of perfumes in pathogenesis of Autism

Causes of autism

The risk of developing autism is primarily dependent on two factors – environmental and genetics.

Environmental factors – a number of environmental factors may contribute to developing autism in a fetus during pregnancy. Complications during pregnancy, medications, microbial infections, air pollutants, and harmful chemicals play an important role in triggering autism in babies during pregnancy.

Genetic factors – genetic changes (mutations) may enhance the risk of developing autism. While some genetic changes are hereditary, others may occur voluntarily.

Role of perfumes in autism development

To reap the benefits of the huge potential of the global perfume market, today most perfumes are mass-produced using a wide range of chemicals created in labs as substitutes or imitations of costly natural ingredients or natural perfumes.

There are multiple scientific studies that indicate exposure to perfumes or cosmetics that contain harmful chemicals can lead to autism. Industrially produced synthetic perfumes contain dozens of unidentified chemical ingredients such as phthalates, benzophenone, alpha-pinene, butylated hydroxytoluene, and musk ketone to name a few.

These chemicals have mutagenic, neurotoxic, and neuromodulatory actions that can cause brain and nerve damage as well as genetic mutations during fetal development, resulting in serious autism spectrum disorder.

Here you can also read our article: Toxic chemicals in perfumes

A 2013 study published in the Medical Hypotheses concluded that autism spectrum disorder could be a result of pregnant mothers’ exposure to perfumes and cosmetics that contain neurotoxic, mutagenic, and neuromodulatory chemicals.

How aromatherapy and essential oils can help with autism

Aromatherapy or essential oils have been used for centuries to improve a wide range of physical and psychological conditions. Aroma isn’t just a smell for an autism-affected person, it’s a powerful tool for sensory enrichment which could be an effective therapy in the management of autism.

Essential oils can help improve several challenging symptoms in people with autism. They may include:

Hyperactivity
Anxiety
Anger
Difficulty to pay attention
Sleep issues
Soreness of muscles
Sensory overloads
Aches and pains
Depression
Meltdowns

According to the International Federation of Aromatherapists (IFA), there are certain essential oils that are identified as useful for managing symptoms in people with autism. They may include:

For aches and pains

Bergamot
Frankincense
Geranium
Marjoram
Lavender
Vetiver

For anxiety and stressful conditions

Grapefruit
Chamomile
Mandarin
Clary sage

For behavioral difficulties and meltdowns

Chamomile
Eucalyptus
Geranium
Tea tree
Cedarwood
Cajeput

The selection of essential oils in the treatment of autism varies from person to person depending on the specific health conditions of the affected person and his or her response to specific essential oils in different situations.

How to use essential oils in autism

Essential oils can be used in many different ways in autism. Essential oils can be used in the bathwater before taking a bath or can be massaged or in a diffuser at bedtime. Bedtime use of essential oils improves relaxation and helps affected people sleep for longer periods.

Moreover, the use of essential oils in a diffuser not only helps the autistic person but also helps create a better living atmosphere for the entire family by purifying rooms and by eliminating viruses and bacteria from the air.

Precautions

Essential oils may be contaminated with other harmful ingredients or toxins if stored in plastic containers. Hence, always make sure you use only glass containers to keep essential oils or buy only essential oils that are stored in glass containers.

Besides, the perfect blending of essential oils is important for achieving the desired benefits for autism and also to avoid any adverse effects.

Therefore, it’s highly recommended to consult with a certified aromatherapist before using essential oils for autism.

Final words

Evidence suggests that industrially produced perfumes that contain toxic chemicals increase the risk of developing autism, on the other hand, natural perfumes and essential oils show positive effects in the management and treatment of autism.

So, whenever you consider buying perfumes or essential oils, make sure you choose only natural perfumes and essential oils that have positive effects on people with autism as well as on the entire family.

Here you can see our natural perfume and essential oil ranges.