3 Year Old Gets Carsick - HELP

My husband and I have had problems with car sickness all of our lives. We have 3 boys (7, 6, 3) and the older two get car sick on longer trips (2 hours or more). We have used dramamine and it worked for one, but not the other. We always keep a stash of plastic bags, clorox wipes, leather cleaner, and burp clothes, as well as a change of clothes just in case. The best thing is to have them not ride in the back of the car! But, with more than one, that is impossible. I would talk to your pediatrician about the dramamine, I think it is only for kids 6 and older. I am a bit concerned that she complains all the time. I only experience the nausea when I am in the back seat or am turning around in the car often. But never on short drives. There might be something else going on. Try putting the car seat up front (move seat as far back as it can go and turn off the air bag if possible). Maybe it will help.

chilren's dramamine (spelling?)

I still get car sick and I am 23. The only way I keep from getting sick is to just look straight out the front window. I cant read anything in the car or I start to feel sick. Try NOT to let your child look at anything like a book or anything. Just try telling her just to look straight ahead. I hope this helps for you. I would try to avoid any kind of medicine.
K.

I have a friend whose son always got car sick...whether it was a big trip for several hours or a trip down the street to the grocery store. I know one thing she has found, and I am sure there is not any scientific reason necessarily, is when she allows her son to watch TV he continuously is looking up at the screen and he never gets sick. I'm not sure if you even have a tv in your vehicle, but she swears it works. He is 7 now so for quite some time he just knows the feeling that he gets and she just always keeps a bowl under his seat. Playing a game boy doesn't work...actually makes it much worse because then he is looking down the entire time. Hope this helps.

I used to get car sick as a child too. The only way I would not get carsick was to make sure I was getting enough air. I am still the same way if I sit in the back seat of a vehicle. If I do not get enough air then I will get sick. Talk to your childs doctor and see if there is anything else that you can do. Best of luck and God bless.

My 2 year old gets car sick. I avoid milks before the ride and during, avoid eating in the car, and sugary things in the car. Also, I make sure the cool air is directly on him. My neice (4) also gets sick, but they were told don't use dramamine too often because it can cause instances of migraines in children. I would check into this and ask doctor for sure.

I just know with mine, he gets it worse when their is a combination of the above things in his system (sugar, milk, large heavy meals, etc...). I have a mini van and the kids sit in the center seats...I know when I sit in the very back I get sick too. I have always had a problem with orange juice in the morning and then car rides. I think you should watch what she is eating and see if it is made worse by something she could be eating. I don't know- just a suggestion.

My youngest has gotten car sick since he was a tiny baby. Took me forever to figure out what was going on! LOL

He does better if he can look out the front window, has very little food in him, and we avoid too many curvy, hilly roads. The more bumps, curves, hills, stopping and starting he has to endure the worse it is. He used to get car sick just on our street with it's winding path and I needed to drive slower to get him to school for K! But we never resorted to drugs or anything. He manages just fine with us knowing what makes it worse. ;-)

My dh and older ds get car sick too, but not nearly as bad. They say they cannot read in the car and need the air on.

Also, I would think about what car seat you have yours in. When my kids were 3 yr laws were much looser and there were no big booster seats available. Mine rode in a plain seat that just raised them a little and provided a large arm guard across their groin/stomach area. Then had the seatbelt on them of course.

Good luck,
ts

I've been told that ginger REALLY helps - surely you can get something that is safe for a little one at the health food store. Per my sister (who gets carsick and has 2 or 3 of her kids who also get carsick) she says to keep them elevated (say, a booster seat) and have them close to a window. Good luck!

My 7 yr. old daughter (at the time) use to get car sick. We purchased a buster seat and that helped tremendously. Also try the med's if have too. I know there is a patch, ask the pharmacist if its ok for 3 year olds. Best wishes

Our daughter went through that at about that age too. Not sure what it was...ears...or what. But we found by keeping her cool, that helped. Even in the fall/winter, if she was gagging we would turn on the A/C for her in the back. She is almost 6 now and hasn't had much of that problem in a few years.

I used to be this way, all the time. Sitting by the window and looking out always helped. Using a booster seat that keeps her high up well make it easier to look out the window. Reading or playing car games will only make it worse. Keep the air cool in the car. They sell those motion sickness bracelets online. Try one of those. I would refrain from using drugs for this.

Sorry I'm just now replying to this but it's the first time I've seen your request. I just learned this trick from my son's girlfriend from China. Take a small slice of fresh ginger root, like a nickel size. Tape or bandaid it to her belly button. The belly button is the quickest route to the stomach. You know how people put nitroglycerine tabs under their tongue for heart pain. Or some meds are given rectally for the best absorption. Ginger is super for vertigo, upset stomach, dizziness, carsickness. The capsules are great for someone old enough to swallow them, but Chinese use ginger taped to belly button on small children who can't swallow a capsule. Doesn't burn skin, not hot. Let me know how it works for you. I've taken ginger caps for motion sickness for years. I can ride an amusement park ride with no ill effects after about 20 mins and 3 ginger caps.