At 10:37 AM 9/9/97 -0400, you wrote:

>Date:    Tue, 9 Sep 1997 10:04:22 -0400
>From:    "Maria Parlapiano Rn, Ibclc" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: tea tree oil for thrush
>
>A mom and baby in our practice have been dealing with thrush for months.
> They have gone through nystatin, diflucan, gentian violet etc.  Last week
>this mom used tea tree oil and applied it with her finger to her baby's mouth
>once a day for four days.  It has been a week now and no evidence of thrush.
> Her doctor was aware of  the treatment and was pleased with the outcome.

I am concerned about this.  Some volatile oils can be very nasty indeed when
ingested. Talalaj and Czechowicz in "Herbal Remedies: Harmful and Beneficial
Effects" say 'Most volatile oils, if not all, are highly toxic when ingested
in excessive doses, and such popular oils as eucalyptus and cajuput contain
toxic cineole and are known to cause severe poisoning and fatalities in
children...Particular caution should be exercised when volatile oils are
used in infants. Even if an oil or preparation containing it is relatively
safe in adults, it may be hazardous in small children or infants."
Tea tree oil also contains cineole, and Julia Lawless in her book "Tea Tree
Oil" (Thorsons, London, 1994) states: "Despite tea tree oil's low toxicity
level, it is advisable not to use it neat for the treatment of children
under 18 months... Note: In common with all essential oils, tea tree should
not be taken internally (unless under strict medical supervision); it is
sufficiently toxic to cause cocern if quantities such as 5ml or more are
ingested by young children."

Lesley McBurney
Brisbane, Australia
NMAA Breastfeeding Counsellor (Clayfield/Wilston Group, Qld)
Publications Revision & New Publications Working Groups
Admin Assistant, NMAA Qld Branch office
International Conference Registrations Committee
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