10 Ways to Prevent Car Sickness in Kids

A trip by car can be fun for the whole family, but it may not be such fun if your child suffers from car sickness. Motion sickness occurs when the inner ear is in tune with the movement of the car, and the eyes are not. The brain receives conflicting signals resulting in a feeling of nausea. Fortunately, there are some ways in which the condition can be prevented. Drugs can be used, and there is also some herbal remedies on the market as a solution to the problem. However, you must consult the child's doctor before using such methods.

Here are 10 ways to prevent car sickness in children:

1. Have your child focus out of a window rather than inside the car. This helps prevent motion sickness, they can concentrate on the scenery instead.

2. Have a window open, if possible, the more fresh air, the less likely your child will have that all too common feeling of sickness.

3. Bring audio books with songs or stories to take your child's mind off the feeling of nausea. Don't let your child read a book, or play hand held video games, as this will undoubtedly make the condition worse.

4. Make frequent stops to allow your child to play and be active, while getting some fresh air.

5. Your child should also eat before the trip, and if they feel sick sometimes eating a dry cracker can stop the feeling. A supply of fresh water should also be with you on your journey.

6. Peppermints are also a good way to prevent car sickness, if your child is old enough to have them, keep a supply in the car.

7. It has been proven that an ice pack on the back of the child's neck for 10 minutes works good.

8. Don't have any food that smells bad in the car.

9. Have the child take deep breaths through their mouth, not their nose.

10. Lollipops actually help too, you can even buy special ones called Queasy Pops that are known to work wonders.

A car trip for you and your kids should be fun, and preventing car sickness can go a long way to making the trip more comfortable for all concerned. Using these tips will greatly reduce the chances of your child having car sickness. Sometimes, no matter what you do your kid will still suffer the feelings of sickness while traveling. In these cases be prepared to stop when your child lets you know they need to be sick, or at least bring a bucket in preparation.