I was always the person in my family that got car sick. Never sea sick, never just motion sickness- just car sick. My mom always had to be prepared. Well, we have recently discovered that Tbomb gets car sick. I'm not sure how far this goes, so far it has happened while driving in the mountains. I have talked with my mom and other people that have dealt with kids having car sickness and gone back in time to when mine was a lot worse. (These days, as long as I'm careful, I just get nauseous) These are the tips that I have gathered.
1.
Be prepared- this is the biggie. We bought a bowl with a lid, lined it with about 4 grocery bags, and had it ready for him if he started feeling queasy. After the episode was done, we tied the bags inside each other and put the lid on it until we could stop and dispose of the mess.
2.
Create a Car Sick Kit- Grab a bag, bucket, or anything and throw in Lysol spray (we have a travel size), paper towels, wet wipes, a change of clothes, and anything else you might need to clean up a little one. Put in a ziploc bag so that you can put the dirty clothes in it.
3.
Medicate or not to medicate- There are ways to alleviate the symptoms of car sickness, but these don't work for everyone. You also have to take into consideration the age of the child. I'm generally not a big fan of giving the kids medication, and usually try for a homeopathic alternative, but we bought Dramamine (for kids- chewable tablets) after he got sick the last time. It worked for him and he was no longer miserable, so we will stick with it. There are homeopathic alternatives, though.
4.
Experiment with seating- Where I sat in a car never made a difference with my car sickness. However, I have heard other people having success by switching where they sit- it might work for your little one.
5.
Keep your child looking forward- looking toward the horizon while riding can help alleviate car sickness. So, don't let your child look down into his lap- reading is a big no-no for someone with car sickness. This was a pain for me because I have always loved to read- try books on tape. Also, try loading an mp3 player with headphones. My mom always made sure I had plenty of music for my walkman (and eventually discman)
6.
Find Car Sick Friendly Activities- Try playing I spy, travel bingo, or the license plate game. That will keep them looking around and occasionally toward the horizon. Some kids can watch a movie that is in front of them- other's can't.
7.
Keep appropriate snacks on hand- I channeled trips we took when I was growing up for this one. I have started keeping with us what my mom kept in the car for me at all times (we never knew when we would go on an impromptu trip to the mountains for the day). She always kept a shoebox with canned ginger ale, bottled water, saltines, gingersnaps, and pretzels in it. When I would go on a church trip, or trip with friends, she transferred it to that car. I've now done the same thing.
8.
Try Acupressure Tactics- Some people swear by sea bands, which use acupressure. You can also study pressure points and find out how to put pressure on a particular spot to alleviate motion sickness.
9.
Give ginger before the trip- either in pill form, ginger ale, or gingersnaps. Some studies show it can not only relieve symptoms but also prevent.
10.
Watch or symptoms- figure out what your child does before getting sick. Tbomb gets very quiet and turns white as a sheet. I always got a headache before I got sick. If you figure out these clues, you can teach your child to watch for them, but also prepare- give ginger ale and get the puke bucket ready.
11.
Watch What They Eat Before Traveling- Eating light foods before traveling can also help. Stay away from foods that make one feel more full, that are spicy, or just do not agree with one's tummy.
12.
Watch Odors- Strong odors can contribute to nauseousness, so if you use air fresheners in a car, watch the scents you choose- also pay aattention to perfumes and colognes.
13.
Face forwards- I know from experience that facing backwards can make motion sickness exponentially worse. Growing up, my parents had an Oldsmobile stationwagon that had a seat that faced backwards. I usually got stuck there because my two brothers would get wild. That ended soon after it started. Almost every time we got in the car (even for 30 minutes) I would get sick.
14.
Watch the vents- Facing a vent towards your car sick little one can really make a difference. the air blowing can ease nauseousness. You can also open a window.
15.
Let them sleep- I have never been one to sleep in a car. In fact, now that I'm older, I can't. If you can get your little one to go to sleep, it really can make a difference. Their bodies will not get disoriented, so motion sickness will not occur. You may even want to consider traveling during their normal sleep time.
16.
Take breaks- Stop for about 15 minutes and get out of the car for a potty break and to walk around. This will reset their bodies and they will be less likely to get sick. What type of location you are driving in will determine how often you should stop. Driving in the mountains, you should stop more often.
17.
Peppermint or gum- smelling pepperming has a lot of benefits, one being alleviating neausea. You can have them suck on a peppermint candy or chew gum (chewing gum really helps tbomb). If they aren't old enough. Make peppermint tea before you leave and let it cool- let them drink it to ease car sickness.
18.
Have them focus in the distance, toward the horizon. I know from experience that watching the trees whizzing by can make you sick very fast.
19.
Understand why it happens- Basically, your mind and body are disoriented and the balance from your inner ear gets all out of wack. More on
WikiHow.
20.
Be patient- your little one can't help it and they are miserable. I know how it feels. I still don't feel well when we travel. If he is cranky, be understanding and soothing. He may grow out of it in time. If not, you will be teaching him the skills to deal with not only car sickness but other things that stand in his way as well.
