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General health

HELP ME PLEASE!! 18 month throws up EVERY time we go for a long car journey!

17 replies

rubyone · 19/02/2007 20:22

Can anyone save me from the ghastly mopping up of sick in the car that I have to do when my 18 month old son projectile vomits every time we have to go for a long drive (we have to do these journeys to visit relatives - and unfortunately the drive involves windy roads). Are there any safe medicines I can give him to stop him throwing?

Any help would be really appreciated - I'm sick of smelling of sick! Thanks.

OP posts:

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NotQuiteCockney · 19/02/2007 20:30

I find keeping it cold in the car helps. Both my boys have been like this before. I think it's partly down to the fact we are generally never in a car, only really go in one occassionally.

funnypeculiar · 19/02/2007 20:31

Can't help, but I was that child (used to throw up on the 5 mile journey into local town ... and I learnt very fast to throw up neatly, into (always present)plastic bag! Not by 18mths, granted.
Hope someone comes along to help you!

(assume you've tried the sesickness bands, btw - make a difference for about 2/3 of people, according to my doctor mate...

pinkbubble · 19/02/2007 20:38

my DD is sick a lot in the car,we bought the wrist bands-touchwood they havent failed us yet. I have to admit I strip all DC down to their inside clothes, have the air con on, dont let them read anything and Im very careful in what they eat before we travel ie if its just after breakfast then they have toast I try and steer clear of them eating in the car too, so If we are travelling over a meal time then we always incorporate extra time to let DC have a run a round and stretch before going again!

pinkbubble · 19/02/2007 20:40

Also just remembered someone told me if you sat on a newspaper then that would stop travel sickness- have to say never tested it not sure if its an old wives tale!

jaide · 20/02/2007 14:29

I was like this as a child and still am at 34yrs, i have to drive everywhere, even going 3 miles in a friends car with her driving we had to pull over for me to throw up. as a child i always had a sick bag, sat in the front and had the car cool and my parents would constantly go on about me breathing through my mouth. however when on holiday coach transfers are my nightmare, even now i darent get on without my sick bag. i hope she improves for you but otherwise as she gets older its sick bag all the way.

rubyone · 21/02/2007 20:35

Thanks all. If I could get my son to AIM it would be a great help but at 18 months it isn't going to happen. I was wondering if anti-sickness tablets exist - I shall have to ask the chemist but I wonder if anyone has tried any drugs? I don't think my son will tolerate wrist bands - he'll just pull them off. I'm definitely going to put a huge towel round him though next time he's in the car so he throws up on that rather than the car seat...

OP posts:

figroll · 22/02/2007 10:01

Those wrist bands are really the best thing ever. My dd1 throws up and has been since she was a toddler - still doing it at 15 - even just on a short 1 - 2 mile trip. She always wears her bands and wouldn't be without them.

Sickness pills are okay, but I don't know whether you can give them to babies? No idea, because we discovered bands early on and have never bothered with them.

MrsBadger · 22/02/2007 10:05

My sister and I were that child too - nothing worked for years till we were old enough for Stugeron (which basically puts you to sleep) and we both only grew out of it about 18. Sorry.

Eventually we gave up trying to do long car journeys altogether and went by train instead. Can the relatives come and visit you, or meet you halfway in a trainable location?

Dave1978 · 22/02/2007 10:07

dd was terribly travel sick from a young age, thankfully she is 6 now and outgrown it. The only thing that worked for us was phnergan. I'm not sure what age it is suitable from according to the bottle, but I think she had it from about jsut over a year old, on the advice of a pharmacist. It's basically a sedative, but there are dosage instructions for travel sickness too, and it worked a treat.

morningpaper · 22/02/2007 10:11

Use a high car-seat and put him in the front

Lots of towels

Don't have big roast-dinner beforehand

No helpful ideas but my 17 month-old throws up too in the car, she just SCREAMS when she gets in and doesn't stop screaming - I actually think it's because she hates being restrained by the straps, rather than car-sickness (I've tried a few seats, it doesn't make much difference)

I actually don't visit people any more if they are longer than 30 minutes away, unless we can drive at night. I use the trains where possible although we live in Somerset so that usually doesn't work v. well

LIZS · 22/02/2007 10:21

Have had Itinerol B6 prescribed when dd was tiny and had a vomiting bug and we had to fly but that was abroad and nto sure it is available here. dd is also prone to vomitting having had reflux as a baby and we've had both throwing up within minutes of each other before now ! Last time was on the travelator at Geneva airport ! Things that make it more likely seem to be heat , lack of ventilation, falling asleep then waking up suddenly in the car, early starts then eating. Certainly a higher, more upright, seating position helped. It has also improved with time and taking dry snacks to nibble on can help.

corblimeymadam · 22/02/2007 12:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

fizzbuzz · 22/02/2007 12:07

My dd was like this. Went to France (v long drive) when he was 18 months old.

I went to see GP, and he prescribed phenergan. Didn't work all the time though......

Sparkler1 · 22/02/2007 12:11

I'm another car sickness sufferer. It's an awful thing to have. I've had it since a young child and still suffer now in my 30's.
DD2 seems to have inherited it from me. We were in the car the other day for only 15 mins and she was as white as a sheet.
I have never been sure about using those wrist bands so am interested to hear that they work well. I take tablets but DD too young for them. I think I might invest in the wrist bands now. Anyone recommend any good ones? TIA

Eleusis · 22/02/2007 12:24

If you can give him car sickness medicine, it has the added side effect of makin you drowsy. So he would also slep.

Try encouraging him to look out the window rather than playing with toys. (I know that's perhaps not relistic for an 18 month old)

PandaG · 22/02/2007 12:31

phenergan suggested by HV here, works the majority of the time. Not sure if suitable for 18 mo though.

Tashie · 23/02/2007 17:05

The key is you have to get him to watch the road in front of the car. Depending on the car this can be difficult, if he can't see it... it might possible for his seat to be placed in the middle? . Also if your car now smells a bit sicky this can be a trigger so pay for a valet clean and get some good quality essential oil like peppermint or roman chamomile- put one drop on a tissue for him to hold or a drop on his car seat - try tissue first in case he doesn't like it.. Also cocculus or pulsitilla homeopathic remedy worth trying.
My niece did the same but she did grow out of it.
Good luck

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