5Yr Old and 9 Yr Old Get Car Sick...

I would give these a try: http://www.sea-band.com/seaband.htm

I think you can get them at Walgreens too?

Also, I found a great link and site that you might enjoy:
http://www.momsminivan.com/article-barf.html

Best of luck!!
-C.

I would try ginger chews, and maybe go to Pharmaca and talk with a homeopath there...they may be able to recommend something low dose that would help with the motion sickness.

Good luck!

Ginger. They are too little to take the pills so make them Ginger Tea. This settles the stomach. My family uses it before any road trips or even when we fly. It's worth a try!

HI,
I watched an episode on Mythbusters (discovery channel-love that show!) about the best remedies for motionsickness and they tested all sort of myths and things that do work. Ginger was number 1 and dramamine was number 2. I would go with the ginger.
When I was in anatomy at college, I learned the reason for motionsickness. (There was no reason why it affects some people and not others though.)
*pardon my spelling in the next paragraph*
See when you are in a vehicle, your silia (inner ear hairs that sway back and forth upon movement) tells your vestibulo cochlear nerve (inner ear nerve) that you are in moving and if your child is looking down or reading a book, your optic nerve (eye nerve) tells your brain you aren't moving. Both nerves are fighting against each other and then makes you sick. It also explains why the driver alsmost never gets motion sickness unless they are driving behind a semi or something. If you kids are put in a postision to see the road are watch out the window it may hlp, but honestly how long can you get a kid to look out the window before they get bored?
I don't know anyone discover how ginger works, but it sounds like a good idea to me!

Like many other people, since the age or four or five I have suffered from motion sickness in the car, on a plane, carnival rides, boats, etc. Some people outgrow it, others never do. Fortunately, it's both treatable and preventable. My personal choice has always been Dramamine, either original or non-drowsy formula. A friend took a cruise and was told by a crew member that they keep green apples (such as granny smith) on hand at all time to stave of motion sickness. She took their advice and as soon as she felt queasy she had an apple - worked like a charm for some reason!

Looking out the window is helpful only if they can focus on objects in the distance, and even then that would probably only work for short trips. Sitting in the front seat is helpful, but difficult with two kids :)

Good luck - It doesn't have to mean the end of family trips, maybe just a few more stops along the way!

My kids don't have motion sicknes (thank heaven) but I do! I have had it since I was a kid. One of the things that has always worked is not feeding them before you leave the house. Bring snacks like crackers a sandwich and water. Nothing sweet. Let them eat small portions along the way.try to get them to take a nap. Looking out the window when you are in the back seat actually made me worse. When I was old enough, my mom and I actually traded paces in the car and i would sit in the front seat, and she would sit in the back seat.

Just a thought. You've probably ruled this out but...

When I was a child I used to get car sick, then in 4rth grade I got glasses (nearsighted) and really never had trouble with car trips again. Perhaps their vision is not so blurry as to need glasses for the classroom or get flagged at a well-child vision screening, but is still off enough to cause car sickness?

I have 4 daughters, one of them is the same way as your son, so we started giving her motion sickness tablets. She can not swallow pills yet, so we just smash them and add alittle water and sugar to them and she is good to go. You might want to only give half tablet, but it will help alot.

Hi,

I get motion sickness as well, and have ever since I was a child. It is hereditary, and concentrating on things in the car makes it worse. I cannot even look at map while the car is moving without feeling sick. You can give them children's Dramamine to help them feel better. However, two things to note: 1) It will make them VERY SLEEPY -- might not be a bad thing in the car, but you might want to try experimenting with giving them doses on the "low" side at first to see what the balance between effectiveness and being too much of a sedative is for the individual, and 2) you have to take it an hour or so prior to getting in the car -- once they start feeling badly it is too late!

Best Wishes,

A.

When I got car sick as a little girl my mom gave me ginger root so that might help. Ginger root can be found in in the vitamin section at most pharmacies. I also found that I could not drink milk in the car, for some reason milk seemed to make the car sickness worse. I hope these ideas help

Almost all car sickness is related to poor vision. It is a strain on your eyes to have things passing by as you are trying to focus. This is why traveling at night is easier on your eyes and stomach/head.

My daughter gets carsick and once she got glasses it improved. For longer trips or winding roads I suggest having your children take ginger. This is available in capsule form at Whole Foods and other health stores. It works very well. Keep some ginger snap cookies handy too as they can help. I have my daughter close her eyes when she feels a headache coming on to give her eyes a break.

If you are going on a long trip, the medicine in Bonine is non-drowsy and lasts 12 hours. We have a lot of experience traveling and all of these things help (even on a 14 night Atlantic crossing).

Anyway, I recommend that you take your children to a good optomitrist or opthamologist and have their eyes evaluated.

Good luck and happy traveling!

You know what.......I had the same problem with my 8 year old and come to find out, it was an inner ear thing and the doc gave him antibiotics and he's cured! Not saying that this will be it but hey, if they haven't been on antibiotics since they have been getting sick, then it may be it.

Hello,

I've had motion sickness since I was a kid, and let me tell you it feels horrible!!! Give them Dramamine or Bonine, it's for motion sickness. It makes you sleepy that is the only bad thing, but a lot better than feeling sick! Also riding in the front seat seems to help too. As an adult if I drive I'm totally fine, it's something about being a passenger that gets to you. I'd definatley give the meds a try. Maybe only give them half a pill or so and see if that does the trick and may not make them as sleepy. Good luck!

My 10 year old has always had car sickness. I even get it every so often. My daughter though will throw up everytime if we did not give her Dermamine(sp). We usually give her the smallest amount possible so it doesnt knock her out. Its the only way we can go anywhere that takes longer than 30-45 minutes! Good luck.

Good Morning... I am a 33 year old who suffers from motion sickness and have for as long as I can remember. I can not even look in my purse while in the car without getting ill. So yes, I think that looking down makes it happen sooner. I can not be a passange in a car without medication, and sometimes even I will get quiezy while driving. I have a 7 year old son and I can not turn around and look at him while the car is in motion. I have to take Dramaine before any trip that involves me being a passanger. Dramine works really well, but does make you sleepy, so needless to say I am a horrible passanger.

I hope that this is helpful to you. And I must say that I am sorry your little ones have to deal with this, it is the most horrible feeling. I am blessed that my son did not get this illness.

Have a wonderful day

I have a 3 year old daughter who I just found out last year that she has motion sickness. We were in Japan at the time. A lady told me that if she sits in a seat where she will be on top of the wheel she should not get sick. It worked great for her. To this day she has to sit way in the back of the van on top of the wheel. She hasn't gotten sick since. They also have motions sickness meds for children at wal-mart. I only used it once. I hope this helps.

Bless you and yours!

I have had motion sickness since I was a small child and still suffer from this at 34. I do all of the family driving as it seems to help. However, that will not be a solution for your children for many years now, so, what I do when I must be a passenger, especially one in the back seat (which is the worst!) is use Emetrol. It is an anti-nausea liquid and it works like a charm for any type of nausea. I keep a bottle in my car, my purse, the diaper bag, next to my bed; it even works for morning sickness! You can find a generic form of it for about half the price usually right next to the Emetrol, and it works just as well. The generic form is usually just labeled "Anti-Nausea Liquid" and it comes in cherry flavor, which I love, and also sometimes in lemon, which is good, too. When needed, I just open the bottle and take a swig and right away my symptoms dissipate. You can just ask for the Emetrol in your local pharmacy section of your grocery store, but I think it is usually near children's stomach relief products. I hope it works for your family as well as ours! :)
Here's a link so you know what to look for:
http://www.pfizerch.com/product.aspx?id=407

One more thing you can do for extreme cases is to try Sea-Bands. They are wrist bands that have a bead that lays right on a pressure point that relieves motion sickness. They are mostly used to cure sea sickness but can be used for any type of nausea, and they really do work! They are inexpensive, last forever, and are small, so they travel easily or you can keep them in your car or purse. You can use both the Sea-Band and the Emetrol together if you need to. I found mine at a drug store, but you can also order them online. Here is a link to them:
http://www.landfallnavigation.com/-sms01.html

Hi! My second daughter started the carsickness thing on a 3-hr. trip at about 18 mos. or 2 years. Can't remember now. I thought she just had the flu. Next trip we made was a 17-hr. vacation drive that we did in two days. She looked like death warmed over by lunch the second day. We finally figured out it was car sickness, not another bout of the flu. Dramamine--the standard solution--has done wonders! Just give the little ones 1/4 to 1/2 a pill (seems like nothing!) half hour before (see directions on bottle). The hardest part is getting them to take it. (Can't they make a children's that tastes good?? Maybe they do and I'm ignorant.) We tried stuffing it in a small piece of food and then getting her to drink it down really fast. Bananas work well. However, if they ever taste it, you're almost out of luck. They are extremely nasty tasting and the kid won't trust you after that. My daughter has been swallowing the pills since she was about 4 though (toss to the back of the mouth and then drink like crazy...). Your kids sound old enough to drink the pills down fine. Interestingly enough, my kids have never gotten drowsy with dramamine. Too bad! Would make the car trip go faster! Good luck!

M. S,
I too have been blessed with children that get car sick. My kids are now 6,10 and 16 but all require dramamine when driving farther then 30 miles.
There is drowsy and non drowsy dramamine. Don't purchase the store brand, it doesn't have the same effect. Also, any activities in the car will contribute to the sickness, ie watching movies, coloring, reading etc.

I can't relate to having kids with carsickness so far, but my siblings and I have always gotten car sick growing up....and still do to this day. Our mom always gave us 1/2 a Dramamine. They do make it in a chewable tablet form that tastes like orange. It really does work well, and like the previous responder mentioned, maybe it will make your little ones sleepy as well, which would be an added bonus. Good luck!

M. S,
I have a 12 year old who always gets car sick if it's more than a half hour drive. I keep saltines, or a bag of those 'mixes' that have crackers and pretzels, etc. in the car for him. DON'T give soda, or any large drinks while in the car. (My son always 'loses it' with that!) If it's a two- hour drive, I give him 1/2 a Dramamine and then it never becomes a problem. As for myself, if I'm driving I never have a problem. But if my husband drives, I have to have a Dramamine within 15 minutes!! I can't seem to get him to loosen his grip on the steering wheel. My point is, you might want to try evaluating your driving style, as relaxing and driving more consistently and smoother might also help your kids with their motion sickness.

M.,
Most of my Kids get car sick. We usually do dramamine (SP) another thing you can try is Ginger. It is suppose to help but hasn't done a thing for my kids but make them sicker. My oldest now drives and gets sick driveing over bridges. There are non drowsy formula's. See what works for you.
C. B

My son gets car sick as well and I discovered that it had a lot more to do with what he was eating than whether or not he was doing an activity. Make sure your children eat alot of protein and no sugary things before heading out in the car. My son also doesn't digest things like gatorade and fruity drinks well so they used to end up all over the car. Make sure that they eat before they head out. An empty stomach is more likely to get upset. Get them seaband and dramamine. I find both really work.

My almost three year old get motion sickness if we travel for 30 minutes or so in the morning. She gets sick with a empty or full stomach, it doesn't matter. Her pediatrician recommended the sea bands for her wrist. I am not convinced they work, but its worth a shot with your boys. We have our little travel kit in the car which includes a large towell to go over her lap, large ziploc bag, and a tupperware container. Best of luck!!!! Let me know if you come up with anything that works.

I am a 62 year old woman and I have always gotten car sick and still do. I HAVE to ride in the front and that does not always do the trick if we are on winding roads or starting and stopping a lot. If I start feeling queasy I either go to sleep or try and get cold air in my fact. Open the window or put my face directly in front of the air conditioning vent. I take Dramamine if I am going to fly or know I am not going to be in the front seat. It does the trick. I know from experience once you start getting queasy it is very hard, almost impossible to stop it without going to sleep. Reading or looking the window is the worst thing you can do. I am an avid reader and love cross stitch but cannot do them in the car. It is for sure I will get sick if I do.

J

I too have two boys age 5 and 9 and my older one has been experiencing car sickness since about age five. We go to CA alot from AZ and the ride just is the worse for him. Recently I did have him sit in the middle so he can see the road while we were driving and it did help, he didn't get sick on the recent trip to the mtns. I was planning on bringing it up on my next dr visit so If I get any info I will let you know. Sorry I didn't have much to help you with. JB

I can empathize. I get motion sick easily and always drive. It's been that way ever since I can remember. My brother is the same way.

I thought my kids escaped this fate, but on a recent trip my 5 year old (that must be the age it starts) got sick both on the plane and in the car.

Interestingly, the only time I didn't get motion sick was when I was pregnant.

If possible, keep the air cool and fresh while driving. Also, make sure they look out the windshield, not the side windows - they need to look out in the direction you are driving.

Try the P6 acupressure point - see http://www.acupuncture-acupressure-points.com/acu-point-P... for a picture. Just apply firm pressure with one or two fingers to the inner wrist about 2-3 finger-breadths from the wrist.

You can also buy Seabands or BioBands for them to wear. You can often find them at Wal-Greens.
http://www.sea-band.com/seaband.htm
http://www.biobands.com/

Lastly try Ginger Chews (real ginger, not ginger flavored) or Peppermints (again, real peppermint, not peppermint flavoring)

Hope that helps...

Good luck!

Dear M. S
You are on the right track with having the boys look out the windows. The trick to this is to periodically look at the horizon so their eyes are able to track the horizon . Have them move their eyes left-to-right/right-to-left while looking at the horizon. Our eyes support us in feeling stabilized and balanced. When in a moving vehicle, and reading, etc. the book is moving slightly and the eyes have a challenging time attempting to track the words. This is tied into the balancing mechanism in the inner ear, which creates the nausea, dizzy feeling, etc. Sometimes holding one hand on the navel while gently pressing on the mastoid bone area (behind the ear) helps restablish the balance in the inner ear. Switch hands so you touch behind both ears. This is a movement from Brain Gym® called "Balance Buttons". C., www.poweredbygenius.com

Try talking to your Pediatrician about motion sickness meds, they are mild and can help, some even they have are all natural. I think it is normal to some degree, I don't know of a lot of kids that have it but know it does happen.

Try the accupressure wrist bands. I had two girls in my Girl
Scout Troop with car sickness and these bands worked wonders. Good luck

My husband was diagnosed with a light case of vertigo. I would strongly recommend trying to use a natural alternative than Dramamine for your kids, especially if they have allergies or asthma. (Consult your pediatrician first!) I would also have their ears checked, it could be an imbalance in their inner ears. My husband is able to cure his motion sickness in the car with ginger root and even garlic pills.

Best wishes,
C.~

http://www.TotalWellnessInfo.com

Car sickness is very common. I suffer from it if I read too much or am doing anything. One thing that helps is Dramamine (sp?) It will put me right to sleep, so that may help! It also comes in a non-drowsy form, but for me it still makes me sleepy. When I was pregnant with my first son, my hubby bought me some pressure point wrist bands. They are excersise bands that have a little ball in them that go on the inside of the wrist. They work great, without the drowsy effect! WE bought mine at Walgreens- but had to ask for help finding them. I found that with the bands, I could take them off if they started to become too uncomfortable and I was fine for quite a while afterwards.

I hope this helps!

A. Ljungquist
Independent Consultant
Story Time Felts
____@____.com
www.funfelt.com (use my name as your consultant)

Host a party and recieve $10 off your order!

Hi there,

I found the best way to deal with car sickness is to go to the health food store and purchase some crystalized ginger. It is very spicy, so the kids only need to eat a tiny bit, AND they can have it as often as they need too! This is an amazing natural remedy that works to settle any stomach.
I hope this helps!
The Mommie Mentor