Test children for flower essences whenever you notice that they are out of sorts, coming down with something, or develop some sudden change in behaviour.  To do this effectively you need to learn some method of testing, such as kinesiology or pendulum dowsing.  You also have to learn to trust yourself.  One of the most fantastic things about flower essences is that they provide us with the possibility to see beyond the physical symptoms, to understand and to heal the cause.  Using flower essences is very empowering.  You do not have to depend on a therapist to select the essences for you, unless you wish to do so.  Using flower essences also allows you to constructively participate in the healing of your family when illness occurs, as the essences can be used alongside any treatment prescribed by your doctor.  In fact this is particularly beneficial as the doctor's treatment will be dealing with the symptoms of the illness while you and the flower essences will be working on the emotional or mental imbalance which is at the root of the problem.

There are two things to be aware of when dealing with infants.  The first is that their problems are often due to the effect of birth trauma which is still in their energy field.  This is possible even if the birth was considered to be an easy one.  The second is that their problems are often a reflection of what is going on with their parents.  To give you an example of this, I recently received a young mother with her 2 month old daughter.  The baby spent most of her waking hours crying.  She was being given medicine for colic and also for pain but the medication was having no visible effect.  Flower essence testing (I use a type of kinesiology, or muscle testing) showed that the baby needed essences for birth trauma plus several essences that were in fact for her mother.  Mother and baby began taking the essences and two days later the baby was crying only in the evening.  I suggested a small adjustment in the way the essences were being administered and the evening crying cleared up as well after another 2 days.

Another example is that of a mother who brought her 3 year old daughter who had never slept through the night since birth.  When I tested the child, the problem showed up as birth trauma.  Within two weeks of taking the essences, she (and the rest of the family) were sleeping through the night.

Infants often pick up things on an energy level that reflect what is happening with their parents. One interesting example of this is a woman who asked me to test her 1 year-old son who had suddenly become very clingy and whiny for no apparent reason. The child tested positive for two essences which made no logical sense when applied to the child but corresponded exactly to the situation of his father. When this type of situation occurs it is advisable that both the child and the parent take the essences.

Small children can often suffer from an excess of sensory stimulus.  They are too stimulated by the world around them and are not able to clear their energy fields.  They therefore find it hard to calm down or relax and often take hours to fall asleep at night.  Other children seem to just disconnect and live in a daydream world of their own.  Flower essences can help in both of these circumstances to balance and stabilise your child and his relation to the world around him.

Children are profoundly affected by what is happening in the family, although they may not show it.  If your family is going through a difficult time (divorce, unemployment, grieving or financial difficulties), do not assume that your children are not affected!  Many parents will say "but we never discuss it in front of the children" or "we never argue in front of the children".  Don't be fooled, most likely your children are picking up on the situation on some other level.  Testing them for flower essences will give you insight into the way they are internalising their surroundings.  Helping them to clear these emotions through the use of flower essences may also help them avoid problems such as fears, insecurity, lack of self-confidence, eating disorders.

Children, of course, have their own emotional issues that need to be addressed, such as fears, sibling rivalry, frustrations, lack of self-confidence, and adjusting to change.  Each child is different and ideally you should test your child to see which essences are the most appropriate for him or her in any given situation.

Nevertheless, here are a few of the usual standbys that are good for infants and children.

• Brunelle (Laboratoire DEVA) - Stimulates a child's inner healing resources when recuperating from childhood illnesses.
  
  
• Prunus (Laboratoire DEVA) - Good for soothing the frustration often felt by small children as they attempt to communicate and learn motor skills.
  
  
• Coeur de Marie (Laboratoire DEVA) - Helps children deal with the pain of separation in case of divorce or death in the family.  Also good for clingy children who do not want their parents to go out in the evening, or do not like being left at school or the day care centre.
  
  
• Complexe #2 (Laboratoire DEVA) - For moody children or those that have trouble unwinding after too much stimulation.  Helps children get a good night's sleep.
  
  
• Dandelion (Green Hope Farm) Helpful when a child feels emotionally or mentally overloaded. Helps the child discharge these feelings and thoughts in a safe and gentle way.
  
  
• Flee Free (Green Hope Farm) - Protects a child's energy system from being adversely affected by negative people or situations.  This essence is part of the Green Hope Farm Animal Wellness Collection, and is also used by many humans as an auric protection essence.
  
  
• Houx (Laboratoire DEVA) - For releasing anger, jealousy, resentment.  Helps children get along with others.  Try this if your child starts biting other children (or adults).
  
  
• Maple (Green Hope Farm) - A useful essence if a child is not fully grounded in his body (spacey behaviour, accident prone, general unfocussed, "not all there").
  
  
• Ortie (Laboratoire DEVA) - For sibling rivalry and all round better communications within the family.
  
  
• Pear (Master's Essences) - Good for birth trauma (child and mother).  Good emergency remedy to take for any shock or upset. Try this for colic.
  
  
• Pineapple (Master's Essences) - For self-assurance, for the child who is painfully shy.
  
  
• Tomato (Master's Essences) - Helps to dissolve fears; for nightmares.  Helps children who are anxious or nervous about change.