Do Road Trips Make Your Kids Sick?

As summer finally winds down and the leaves begin to change, it is the perfect time to take your kids out for a weekend drive. Don't miss this fun fall activity because of motion sickness. Affecting children and adults, the nausea, dizziness, headaches, and possible vomiting that comes with motion sickness are reason enough to stay home. As a sufferer and the parent of a sufferer, I know all too well how quickly a fun family outing can turn into a miserable event. Like so many unpleasant biological experiences, car sickness is actually caused by your body trying to be efficient. When your body feels the motion of the car but your eyes see that you are sitting still, the confusion prompts your body to try to expel whatever "hallucinogenic chemical" is causing the distortion. Unfortunately our biology has not caught on to the mechanics behind automobiles and very many of us, the end result is headaches, nausea, dizziness, and occasionally vomiting. While you may not be able to prevent car sickness every time, there are some simple things you can do to try to prevent or alleviate the symptoms.

1. Encourage your child to look outside, particularly at the horizon. By looking outside of the car you minimize the confusion your brain experience in the car. Be sure that when looking outside, your child does not focus on a fixed point. The goal here is to create consistency between what your child sees (moving forward toward the horizon) and what they feel (the movement of the car). While looking out the window is helpful, watching things speed by the side windows can actually make motion sickness worse. If possible, have your child look out the windshield rather than their window and focus on the horizon.

2. Sit in the front seat or a booster seat. From personal experience I can say that sitting in the front of the car can make a world of difference. My son is 13 years-old and after many long car rides together I can attest that the further in the back he sits, the sicker he is. It may have something to do with being able to see out of the windshield more easily or simply that the sensation of moving while not being able to see that you are moving is heightened in the back seat. Either way, try allowing your child to sit up front if possible. If your car's airbag cannot be turned off consider using a booster seat in the middle of the backseat.

3. Turn up the tunes. Keeping your child entertained can go a long way toward avoiding car sickness. A child that is busy singing and enjoying themselves is less likely to notice mild symptoms of motion sickness. I have found from personal experience that my son rarely feels car sick when we are listening to music he likes or is engaged in conversation with his sister.

4. Although distractions help, don't let your child read, watch TV, or play video games during long car trips. I know that this may seem nearly impossible, particularly on a long car ride, but the price for entertainment is usually a headache and nausea. If your child insists on reading or playing video games (or you insist that they find something to do besides bothering their siblings), try non-prescription reading glasses. The slight magnification may help their eyes to relax a bit which in my personal experience has been helpful. You can get reading glasses in various strengths at many drug stores such as Target and CVS. Be mindful of the strength of the glasses you choose, something too strong (probably over a +1.50) is likely to make things worse, rather than better.

5. Try audio books. The best alternative to reading in the car is audio books. Not only do they provide your child with entertainment, they can provide a much needed distraction should they begin to feel sick or uncomfortable. An added bonus of audio books is that the whole family can participate. I have used road trips as an opportunity to introduce my kids to classics such as Little Women and to many Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume books. Many local libraries offer books on tape or CD. You can also purchase audio books from iTunes and Audible. A great story can make the car ride more enjoyable for everyone.

6. If all else fails, try Dramamine or another brand of motion sickness medication. While some say that it can alleviate symptoms after they start, I have found that for my son it is important to take these medications at least 15 minutes prior to your car trip for the best results. Like many parents, I don't like to over medicate my children but a full dose of Dramamine can make for a wonderful car trip. If you are worried about drowsiness, there are non-drowsy formulas however I find that a sleepy child is usually not a car sick child. In fact encouraging your child to sleep can be an easy way to avoid or relieve car sickness.

7. Another alternative to medication is acupressure. There has been research conducted to validate the effectiveness of Acuband and other acupressure bracelets in relieving motion sickness. You can buy the Acuband or similar products online and at the local drugstore. It's not stylish but for anyone that suffers from car sickness the use of acupressure or an acupressure bracelet may be a quick fix. Easy to carry in a pocket or purse, if your child is particularly susceptible to motion sickness the Acuband can be available to them at all times.

8. Eat things to alleviate nausea. Plain crackers, ginger ale, and water should be staples in your car on all road trips. In addition, mints and dried ginger are easy to store in the glove compartment for long periods of time. Many children, including my own, have a hard time with the spicy flavor of fresh or dried ginger. An excellent and very effective alternative is candied or crystallized ginger. The Ginger People make crystallized ginger chips which come in a cute little tin that is easy to store in the car. It was a permanent fixture in my car during my pregnancies and continues to be my first choice in relieving nausea.

9. Fresh air has been found to be very helpful in alleviating motion sickness. Roll down the windows if your child begins to complain about feeling ill. Better yet, turn off the child safety locks and encourage your child to roll down their window when they begin to feel even a little car sick. Over the years I have found that this can help with preventing them from getting especially nauseous and also serves as an easy way to let you know that you may need to stop soon.

10. Take a break. If the fresh air from the window is not helping then it is time to get out and walk around. Even a 15 minute rest stop can make a world of difference. Encourage your child to use the bathroom and walk around wherever you are able to stop. In addition to stopping when your child is in severe discomfort, it is useful to plan regular stops over the course of any trip. While it may make the trip take longer, regular breaks will make the ride more comfortable for your child and might protect your car's interior from a very messy episode.