Desperately need advice on motion sickness

[Chummybud1]

my son has dyspraxia. In august he is going to high school by bus. Any time he has made the journey he has been sick. He has been on the bus twice for transition days and has been sick on both occasions. He was mortified and now does not want to go to high school.

I have tried sweets, music
Sturgeon, joy rides, sea legs, tablets.

Please give me any tips on curing motion sickness

[Al1son]

DD2 used to have to sit at the front of the bus so she could see out of the windscreen when she went on the school bus.

She has a taxi now thank goodness and it's much better.

Other people swear by those wrist bands you put on pressure points. They've never worked for us but may be worth a try.

[Chummybud1]

Thank you, have tried the bands but they didn't work. Will ask if he can sit up front.

[coff33pot]

My DD also sits up front and the driver gladly opens his driving window to let in a breeze (he would rather freeze than have her sick!)

There was an old wives tale of sitting on a brown paper bag and having a small spoon full of vinegar before set off. dont know about the bag but the vinegar worked for me something to do with drying up acid?? :)

[moosemama]

Ds1 gets bad motion sickness in some cars, but not in others. We've found that getting him to suck a mint usually works with him for short journeys, but longer ones still require regular stops and 'fresh air' breaks.

On buses, he's actually better in the middle than the back or front, I assume its because its more stable and 'swings' less, but I know as Al1son said, most people are better off right at the front where they can see out. Ds doesn't get sick at all in our VW camper because he's high up and can see out really well, but is at his worst in low slung, sporty type cars with restricted rear vision.

Stugeron didn't work for either of my dses on the ferry (they both get seasick and we travel by ferry every summer) but the old fashioned Kwells worked like a charm for them both last year.

Boots also sell the Nelson's Travella homeopathic ones. They contain the homeopathic remedy cocculus, which is what cured our extremely travel sick dog years ago. I was sceptical, but it certainly did the trick for her. (We gave her straight cocculus, not the Travella ones).

The only other thing I can think of his aromatherapy. I know some oils are supposed to help to reduce nausea - I've only had a quick google, but came up with this.

Oh - just had a thought. Have you had his sinuses and ears checked at all. I still get motion sickness now if I have anything going on in the ears/sinus department. The GP may possibly be able to offer some better medication as well.

Poor boy, there's nothing worse than motion sickness, I suffered myself as a child and again through each of my three pregnancies - not a good way for him to have to start the school day every day. Hope you manage to find a solution for him before August.

[moosemama]

Coff33, you have just reminded me. Just before ds1's residential the Head explained that anyone who suffers from travel sickness would be sat on a newspaper for the journey - as this stops them being sick. He proudly told us all that he'd never had a child throw up yet in over 14 years.

Mind you, he was a little less confident after no less than seven of them threw up on the way home!

They had to stop and swill the bus floor out with a mop and bucket no less than three times during the hour and a half's journey!

[Chummybud1]

I have to sat that my ot suggested among others a newspaper, I tried this, but sadly in never worked.

I am making a list of all your suggestions and am going to try everyone till I find a solution. Thank you all so much

[coff33pot]

@ moosemama hahahaha the poor man! no the bag bit never worked for me. I always take extra strong mints or airwaves gum as it gives the impression of fresh air iyswim

I cannot read in a car or use my mobile or actually focus or manouver to turn to the kids in the back without feeling sick and definately cannot look out a side window. My poor dd is exactly the same but sitting at the front of the coach helps a bit.

[coff33pot]

I can also add footspace. I could not stand my legs being confined between the front seat in the back of a car/bus. Its a sort of claustraphobic feeling and makes you anxious. So being in the front with leg room so you can fiddle about also helps.

[Ben10isthespawnofthedevil]

Might be a bit extreme but has your DS had Sensory Integration Therapy? DS suffers from motion sickness and during the dyspraxia assessment was almost sick! His vestibular sense was all over the place.

However during SIT, the therapist uses a swing and gradually increases the amount of movement/swinging/spinning. We are only 3 sessions in but DS hasn't been sick since and is getting much better at tolerating the movements that previously made him sick or upset during the therapy.

Was also going to mention the Sea Bands for the wrists but have seen that you have tried these.

[oddgirl]

I would second Ben10-we did retained reflex therapy and vestibular problems have gone now-we did lots of slow spins in a rotating chair gradually building up to faster ones. Now DS quite happy on roundabouts etc and car sickness has gone!
HTH

[IndigoBell]

I too can agree with Ben10 and OddGirl.

Your child probably gets travel sick because of a middle / inner ear problem.

After AIT and retained reflex therapy my DS no longer get's travel sick... (Although he was never as bad as your DS to start with....)

It's not cheap or quick to do these things. But the improvements have been impressive......

[Chummybud1]

Hi ben10 I have emailed the ot about therapy, waiting for a reply, thank you so much as I had never heard of it. Thank you to you too odd girl, am definately going to look into this further.
Has anyone had this therapy on the nhs, if not where do I find out about it,

[nicevideoshameaboutthesong]

sit up front and take sea-legs.

That's all that works for me and DD1.