Kid with Car Sickness

My daughter suffered from this and I never left home with out the "car kit" bucket lined with plastic trash bags , paper towles, bottled water and some mouthwash. Keep her in a seat where she can see out a front window. Very light food before you leave and tell her not to drink too much. Keep the bucket handy for her to grab and hopefully she will grow out of it like my daughter did.

This was me as a kid from about 6 to 12. The best thing for me was dramamine. I pretty much slept the whole trip. I also could only eat McDonald's ice cream cones on the trip. Anything else made me vomit. I could not read, color, or focus on anything inside the car, so you may want to find some games that require looking outside for things you find along the highway. To this day I still can't ride on roller coasters or read in a car.

Good luck!

My son is six now and still gets car sick. It's really weird but not all of the time. We were able to drive to Texas until he was about 3 (a 2 day trip). Now even short rides make him sick. I found that with the car seat in the middle he did better because he could see in front of him. When he is behind a front seat he has to see around the back of the seat and that seems to make him sick. Also, popsicles work great. And though I hate giving him soda, Coke or Pepsi work great but it has to be really cold. At least for him anyway. Good luck.

My advice is coming from a person who has had car sickness my entire life. I am not sure if she is old enough or ready to sit in the front seat, but try to get her to sit as close to the front as possible. Also, if she can sit next to a window, sometimes the cool air on her head might help. If she can go to sleep on the ride that also helps. I always sleep during long car rides. (Unless I am driving!) Give her some dramamine (spelling???) about an hour before you leave. But the most important thing I can say is to tell her that you understand that she has car sickness and you want to help her. Your acknowledgement will really go a long way in making her feel more at ease about what is going on. Good luck!!

K., My husband and I went through the same thing with our daughter( only child at the time) for about a year. We couldn't even go to town(10 min), let alone travel 4-6 hours. I talked to her doc. she said try moving her car seat, at that time it was in the middle, so of course we tried it we moved it behind the drivers seat, and guess what it help. Now five she still has some issues but for the most part it's under control. We carry a small bucket in each one of our vechicles just in case. I never tried any meds. because she was only a little over a year when this was going on . Good luck

Try driving at night so she will fall asleep (and hopefully stay asleep) during the trip.

Ginger ale has helped my daughter.

Also, instead of passing the time with a book or video, play games like I Spy or finding the alphabet on license plates.

I used to have pets that got carsick and we bought a motion strip which hung from the back of the car. That helped.
2. The motion bands they sell in drug stores with the accupressure button might help. They have helped me on cruises.
3. Don't allow your son to read or do close work in the car.
4. Be prepared with a clean up kit.
5. Have him relax and listen to CD's.

N., grandma who has cleaned up pets and kid's messes

Hi K.,
I suffer from AWFUL motion sickness. I can not ride in the backseat of a car, read, watch movies or anything like that. I used to get it when I was little too! My mom always gave me....(deep breath) caffiene free coca-cola. I know that it is not advisable to give a child soda BUT in this instance it is a life saver. Also ginger ale works really well too! There was/is something in coke that is settling to tummies. Saltine crakers help too. Try to have her focus on things that are not moving while in the car. The back of the seat, looking far off into the horizon at something. Hope it helps and good luck! Also keep the car pretty cool too! that should help as well!

Contact your pediatrician for a prescription or ask about motion sickness patches. I have several friends who go on cruises who use them and my sister who suffers from motion sickness in the car says the same thing. I realize these are adults but your pediatricial will know if there is a version for younger children. Also if possible put her in the front seat (if you do not have an airbag or can turn it off) or consider putting her in the Uhaul. Being in a position where she can see better might help significantly - it works for my sister. Good Luck!

I would talk to your child's doctor... he/she might be able to prescribe something for motion sickness. You could also drive at night/bedtime... most people don't get car sick if they are sleeping.

My niece has had good luck with using preggy pops for her son.

I was told to give my dog Ginger Snap cookies. So when my friend's 10 yr daughter was here and got car sick, we offered them to her and she said they made it much better. Guess that would go along with the ginger ale hints. She also eats peppermints. And of course opening a window for fresh air always helps too. My daughter and I both get car sick if we are in the back seat and try to read, so don't know if your daughter is trying to read but maybe avoiding looking down. Good luck.

My daughter (4yrs old) gets car sick too. We usually leave close to naptime, bedtime or very early morning (5am or so), so that she can sleep during most of the ride. I found that this works best. If we must travel during the day, we make sure to feed at least an hour before we leave, so that her food is mostly digested during the ride. We also open the car window so she can have plenty of fresh air. We usually drape towels over her and around the car for easy clean up and pack a change of clothes. As she has gotten older, I give her a bag that she can use until I am able to pull off and help her.

I don't know if there are any over-the counter medicine for young children, but like I said, leaving at a time when she will sleep has really been my best solution.

Best of luck.

Is she big enough to ride in the front if so that helps me,i'm 29 and still get sick in the back seat.if she is not,then you could try giving her something to take her mind off the movement.(this sounds funny but it works most of the time)open the window,tell her to take a gulp of air and swallow it,my mom told me that one.good luck on your trip,and congrats on the new house.

Hi K.,

Stop frequently. Give her something to eat like suckers or popsicles.

Good luck on your move. D.

Hi K.!

I am a big fan of using natural products, and I'm a consultant for an aromatherapy company, The Happy Soul. Spearmint essential oil is a great way to prevent motion sickness. It's as simple as adding about 15 drops of the oil to 4 ounces of water in a spray bottle, and spraying it in the car. It's a great smell and should keep the kids from getting sick. My 4 year old daughter loves it. Hope this helps!

B. H.

P.S. Always remember essential oils are very strong and they should not be taken internally. Keep them out of reach of the kids too! Let me know if you'd like more info.

There is some kind of a braclet you can purchase at CVS, Rite-aid,any type of pharamacy store.

My friend had to use one for years for her daughter.

B. - Jessup Maryland

My daughter had the same problem until I realized that she was getting sick from eating in the car and watching the DVD player. Now, I don't let her eat and watch at the same time. She eats then we play a bit to let her food settle and then I turn it back on for her. It made all the difference! Good Luck!

Hi K.,
I too, use to get car sick as a child. Even when our school went on field trips,i would get sick. My mom started giving me lemon wedges to suck on during each trip, even school. I know that this sounds crazy, but it work! No drugs, just something the Lord made. Try it, you may even put a little sugar on them to bite the bitterness.

C. b.

I agree with the Dramamine if it's safe for a child her age. Also, we let my stepson (who gets sick, too), sit toward the front if possible. It seems to help. Some kids can play a handheld video game to distract them. If she can, that would be another option. Hope that helps. Keep an empty ice cream bucket (the kind with handle and a lid) in the back with the kids for emergencies (from potty to vomit).

I use Sea Bands....I have a hard time with motion sickness even as an adult. You can find them at most Pharmacy's. They use pressure points on the wrist.

Hi,
I don't know ,if it works for your child, but I have been car/sea sick all my life until I met an old ship captain at the australian great barrier reef. he told me to take part of a cotton ball and ball it up and put it in one ear.Since your body constantly tries to balance you out, and your sense of balance is in the ears, it makes people sick, but with the cotton ball it stops trying and you don't get sick.It works great for me, believe me after throwing up until I was 25, this was and still is, a great relieve. Hope this works for you, just make sure it is well in there.S.

Check with your pediatrician. He/she will be able to prescribe something safe for your daughter. My son has the same problem, we've learned that he can't read, play DS, etc. in the car. Bring some story CD's to listen to which will help keep her entertained.

I can relate, I was car sick constantly as a child. Your poor little girl, it is a real misery. Two things helped me: playing games that required me to focus on something outside the car, and sitting in the front seat with the driver. Suggest that she count all blue cars, look for different state license plates, anything that will require her to be focussed and paying attention instead of generally gazing outside the window. Sitting in the front seat and looking out seems to help, too. Have you had her eyes checked? She might have some astigmatism or problem that makes it hard to resolve the images she sees, and glasses might help. Anyway, this is probably going to be a life long problem for her, just to a lesser degree as she gets older. Good luck!

I would check with the doctor because he can suggest something to give her to help with this problem. I think I have heard Benadrayl ( spelling? ) helps. But I would check first. Also it helps not to have the vechicle too warm. Sitting in the back seat always makes me sick as well because I can't look out the front window. I can't read or do anything while we are moving and as long as I look out the front window it helps. I have also used dramine but your child may be too young to use that.

K.,
I too have children that get carsick. First make sure that your child that gets car sick does not eat too much before the trip. No sweet stuff like doughnuts for the road. Next make sure that they are sitting next to the window, tell them to look out the window, (sorry no on board movies). If they start too feel sick have them roll down the window and let the air hit them in the face. My grandmother had an old treatment for carsickness, that is too take one of the old time peppermint sticks, the ones with the hole in the middle, and suck lemon juice straight from the lemon through the peppermint straw. It worked for my mother and her sister when they were little. But, if you don't want to try that you may ask the doctor about a band that goes around the wrist that is suppose to help, or if dramamine is ok to give to children. Hope this helps.
A.

I have a friend with 7 year-old twins. They have the same problem. She gives them both half a Dramamine before going for any extensive trip. She got the advice from her doctor several years ago. But you could always check with your before doing this. Good luck!

Hi K.,
I talked to my pediatrician about a month ago about my 3 year old getting car sick. She said that if I were to give her some children's benedryl about a half hour before we leave for trips, it should make her sleep most if not all of the way. Usually when we go on trips, we drive about 5 hours away to my grandparents and she thought that the benedryl would help.

Also, when we take my two older children out on my parents boat we would give my son (who was 3 when we started taking him) a half of a dramamine tablet. He would still be awake and could enjoy the trip on the boat, but he didn't get sick.

I wish you all the luck with your move! Hope this helps!

car sickness seems to run in our family my great grandson is the newest one we carry plastic barf bags in the car he also takes one on the school bus we do not feed him before he travels keep sprite seven up or birch soda it's better if it is flat either way he clings to it respite stops seem to help especially on a long trip my daughter had to take dramamine or bonine when she was small she still medicates epecially when she flys good luck grammy

K., my little man did this too. We learned that the big coffee cans (or any other kind of small size bucket)with lots of plastic bags (like grocery bags) in it works should he have to be sick before we could pull over. This size he could handle holding himself since he sat in the back of the van. I would put at least 4 bags opened with the handles over the sides one on top of the other. This helps with any leaking cause I would double bag it before throwing it out at our next stop.

THEN...we learned that CHOCOLATE will cause car sickness too! This was part of our trouble. Whenever we go on road trips we always gave the boys a "goodie bag" that they could munch on throughout the trip. Of course, there were M&M's and they would do it to him every time.

Good news, he is now 7yrs old (8 in OCT) and has no problems at all with riding now. Even with M&M's! LOL

Good Luck! N. =)

My daughter always gets car-sick, and we often drive from VA to NH. It doesn't make for a very pleasant trip! Her doctor told us to give her Dramamine--check with your doctor for the dose-and it worked like a charm!! We got through the whole trip and back, and she didn't get sick one! Now we don't leave without it! Hope that helps.

I have a two year old who became carsick every time we got in the car until I figured out that Ginger Snaps work wonders. The ginger actually helps with vomiting. Hope this helps!