With spring break and summer vacations approaching, many families are busy planning their next get-away. No matter the distance you are traveling and by what mode of transportation, motion sickness can occur when you are least expecting it, and it is most common in children ages 2-12 (Mayo Clinic). Motion sickness occurs when the brain receives conflicting signals from the eyes, inner ears and nerves in the arms and legs. These three areas usually work together, but when the signals they receive are inconsistent, motion sickness can strike. For example, when a child cannot see out of a window when moving, the ears and extremities are noticing the movement, but the eyes are not (HealthyChildren.org). Some children are more susceptible than others and it is unclear why.
Motion sickness often starts with the child’s having an upset stomach and advances to a cold sweat, dizziness, fatigue or vomiting. It may be impossible to take all the symptoms away, but a parent can take some steps to lessen a child’s discomfort. For starters, if there is any way possible, help the child reposition so he can see outside of the moving vehicle. This is top priority. Also, removing any internal stimuli, such as a book, game or movie, will help. And if the child is able to nap, that may be beneficial as well. Other interventions could include letting outside air inside the car, offering distractions such as singing or telling jokes, and providing a light snack to settle the stomach. Oftentimes, the only way to make the symptoms go away is to stop the car and let the child walk around or let him lie down and place a cool washcloth on his forehead (Mayo Clinic).
If none of these things seem to help, talk to your pediatrician about medication available to help with the symptoms. Also, if you find that your child is having motion sickness symptoms without motion or having additional headaches, difficulty hearing, seeing, walking or is staring off into space, these can be signs of an additional problem and need to be discussed with the child’s physician (HealthyChildren.org).
Jessica Heine is a labor and delivery nurse. She resides in Olathe with her family.