Many children, particularly those aged three to 12, are prone to motion or car sickness. While it’s nothing serious, feeling sick while traveling is certainly not something to look forward to. Some kids may dread traveling so much and kick up a fuss before or even after getting into the vehicle.
Fortunately, there are many ways of preventing and managing motion sickness in kids. Here are some useful tips for parents to help children who frequently feel car sick.
Avoid Greasy Food Before Travel
Avoid feeding the child a heavy meal or greasy food before traveling. Instead, give him a small, light meal. It’s perfectly alright to offer the child some dry biscuits or glucose sweets during the car trip, though. Sips of ice cold water often help as well.
Encourage the Child to Look out the Window
One of the most effective ways of preventing car sickness is to look out of the window. Get the car sick-prone child to sit near the window and wind it down if possible. Ask him to look at something distant and still, but not at moving objects. If the child is big and old enough, let him sit in the front seat. Make sure he’s safely strapped with a restraint.
Keep the Child Occupied During the Journey
When kids are distracted, they will temporarily forget about any discomfort they have, including motion sickness. Keep the child occupied during the journey by telling stories, singing, playing guessing games, etc. However, discourage activities that involve scanning such as reading, playing mobile games or anything that requires a lot of head movements.
Make Frequent Stops to Relieve Car Sickness
If traveling long distance, make frequent stops throughout the journey to help relieve car sickness in kids. Let everyone stretch his or her legs, breathe in some fresh air and do a bit of slight exercise before continuing the journey. If the child shows signs of being car sick – looking pale, going quiet, burping and feeling nauseous – before the next designated stop, pull the car over anyway. Get the child of the car and wait to see if he needs to throw up.
Keep Plastic Bags, Wet Wipes and Water in the Car
Parents with children who get car sick should keep a good supply of plastic bags, wet wipes, tissue paper, water and a change of clothing in the car. Parents can also use old ice cream tubs or shoeboxes lined with plastic bags. These are easier to hold when a child needs to throw up.
See a Doctor if Motion Sickness Persists
The above measures to prevent and manage motion sickness are often effective. Children typically stop feeling sick after the vehicle has stopped. If the child continues to feel sick, his problem may be severe or caused by another illness. See a doctor to to determine the underlying cause of the persistent problem.
Parents can try various ways to prevent car sickness in children. Avoiding greasy food before traveling, encouraging the child to look out of the window, keeping him occupied and making frequent stops during the trip can all help prevent the child from getting motion sickness. Another important tip is to keep plastic bags or containers in the car in case the child gets really sick. If the problem persists even after trying all the above measures, take the child to see a doctor.
Found this article useful? Read also Surviving Long Car Trips With Children, How to Travel With Kids and How to Help Children Manage Jet Lag.
References:
Dr. Stoppard, Miriam. New Babycare. London: Dorling Kindersley, 2009.
Oates, Kim and Staff of Children’s Hospital and Westmead. The Complete Parenting Guide. New South Wales, Focus Publishing, 2005.
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