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Original poster

Car sickness.

26 replies

Grrrpredictivetex · 17/08/2021 12:07

Does anybody have any advice or experience of car sickness in a 2 year old? This has only just started and DD is now very sick on journeys over about 15 mins.
We've tried moving car seat around so DD can see more than the back of a chair but to no avail.
So distressing to see her like this.
Any helpful views appreciated.

OP posts:
OutOfTrousers · 17/08/2021 12:17

Basically we didn't drive anywhere!
If we did:
Towel pinned to seat in front
DD in button up rather than pull over the head clothes.
Easily accessible:
Spare clothes
Blanket
Plastic bags
Upholstery wipes
Baby wipes
Towel
Depending on cars seat/length of trip a spare car seat cover.

By 4 ish she could aim for a bucket lined with plastic bag, by 5 she could give a bit of warning.

OutOfTrousers · 17/08/2021 12:17

And water

millyme · 17/08/2021 12:38

The game changer for us was to give them hardly anything to drink - and no sloppy food like cereal - before the journey. I got this tip from someone who works on boats. Hard solid food for breakfast and as little to drink as you can get away with. Then have icy cold water and crackers on hand to sip and nibble the journey. Have tested this multiple times with various family members of all ages and it’s a winner.

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2 year olds
OutOfTrousers · 17/08/2021 13:03

Oh yes, I did that too. Slice of toast rather than cereal. And avoid food that stains so would let her have fish fingers and chips rather than spaghetti with tomato sauce.

Try to tire out before you go anywhere so there's more of a chance she'd sleep in the car.

Now she's older, audio books seem to help. I also got her some sea bands. Jury is out on that one.

LakeShoreD · 17/08/2021 13:07

If your car allows can you put her seat forward facing in the middle? This sorted DD’s car sickness, I think because she could see out of the front windscreen.

Original poster
Grrrpredictivetex · 18/08/2021 08:32

@millyme

The game changer for us was to give them hardly anything to drink - and no sloppy food like cereal - before the journey. I got this tip from someone who works on boats. Hard solid food for breakfast and as little to drink as you can get away with. Then have icy cold water and crackers on hand to sip and nibble the journey. Have tested this multiple times with various family members of all ages and it’s a winner.
Thank you will give this a try.
OP posts:
Original poster
Grrrpredictivetex · 18/08/2021 08:33

@LakeShoreD

If your car allows can you put her seat forward facing in the middle? This sorted DD’s car sickness, I think because she could see out of the front windscreen.
We've tried this sadly didn't work.
OP posts:
carrotsparsnipspeppers · 18/08/2021 08:34

Surely that just means she’s nothing to throw up?

And what if your journey is in the middle of the day?

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 18/08/2021 08:36

Open the windows a bit. That seems to help my DDs. (Rather than the recycled air conditioning)

Thunderface · 18/08/2021 08:39

My dd had travel sickness at that age. We got Sea Bands for her that helped her a little. She used to get so worked up worrying that she might feel unwell that it was making any car journey difficult. The bands helped her feel less worried so were helpful for shorter journeys.
The medication is effective but can't be used until 4 or 5. She grew out of it eventually.

Dontforgetyourbrolly · 18/08/2021 08:41

I was your DD. Aged 46 I'm still the same ! I no longer actually vomit but I come very close at times . If I'm doing lots of travelling like recently on holiday: car- plane-coach then i take medication. Its miserable 😪

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 18/08/2021 08:44

A change of clothes that lives in the car.

Those big 1l yoghurt pots make great vomit tubs too. Amazing how quickly they can be trained to vomit neatly in a tub and put the lid on!

givemushypeasachance · 18/08/2021 08:46

I was travel sick a lot as a kid. For longer journey, especially if a holiday so drive to airport then a flight, I'd have pills - Kwells or whatever other over the counter brands were available. I'm not 100% sure on the age range for them, google suggests from 4 years old. Maybe check with a pharmacist if there's something younger kids can have instead. You take them an hour or so before the journey starts. You can grind the pill up and hide in some yogurt, or I'd have a chewy sweet and then put the pill in the middle myself to disguise the gross chalky taste! Did make me a bit sleepy and dry-mouthed, I wasn't the biggest fan but being sick was so miserable I preferred to take them than not.

Agree with other tips on facing forward, fresh air in face, sips of drink. Boiled sweets to suck on helped me. Never read in the car, and these days equivalent would probably also be no screens/devices.

6demandingchildren · 18/08/2021 09:27

This is very helpful as I'm traveling with my grandchildren on Saturday and 2 are travel sick.

ThatSunnyCorner · 18/08/2021 09:40

Poor her. I've suffered from travel sickness since childhood and still do. The only thing that reliably helped was medication, hyoscine based. Could you have a word with a pharmacist to see if there's anything she can take? Boiled sweets might also help take the edge off the nausea.

Sitting in the back makes things worse for me, as do reading, looking at a screen, winding roads and driving past trees with the sun shining through them (think it's the moving flickering). So if you can avoid any of those, it might help (although the trees will be difficult!).

Early warning signs of an imminent vomit (might help save the car) are going quiet, paleness, sweaty palms and lots of swallowing of saliva.

FrogInASock · 18/08/2021 09:49

We saw a big improvement by changing diet before and during car trips. No milk, yoghurt, cereal, squishy fruits etc. Basically in the hours before a car trip DD only had the foods you might ordinarily give after gastro. Like toast and crackers and weak juice. And we’d try and plan our trips to have meals after the drive when back home or at the destination. And took trains if we could for really long trips.

Thunderface · 18/08/2021 10:58

I wouldn't give a boiled sweet to a two year old travelling in a car.
Try the accupressure bands. I think Boots sell them.

Original poster
Grrrpredictivetex · 20/08/2021 08:51

Thanks everyone hopefully one of these will help and she'll grow out of it.

OP posts:
ilovebagpuss · 20/08/2021 09:00

If you can work it in time wise a few little stops to get out breath fresh air etc. One of mine grew out of one hasn’t but now she’s old enough for travel sick tablets it’s fine.

Etulosba · 20/08/2021 09:08

Thanks everyone hopefully one of these will help and she'll grow out of it.

I’m nearly 60 and still get car sick if I sit in the back. Bus and coach travel is risky too.

I’m fine on boats, planes and trains.

Chattycatty · 20/08/2021 09:16

Distraction helps too sing songs play games. I am still a terrible traveller. Windows open and a blanket to keep warm. I've taken night nurse before now and slept the journey away.

Moonflower12 · 20/08/2021 09:35

A paramedic friend recommended that our then 2 year old DD had a drowsy antihistamine if we were doing a long journey. I think we used piriton.

As others say open windows really help. And songs/ audio stories for her to focus on.

She is now 8 and we use Kids Kwells or Joy Rides.

Topbird29 · 20/08/2021 09:44

My 2 DS were terrible for car sickness. Anything over 1/2 hour and they would be sick. We used to us Phenergan elixir for car sickness (not sure if it is sold anymore). Made them a bit drowsy, so slept most of journey. When just 1 child I used to sit in back with them to notice signs of feeling sick. When a little older, lots of distraction, I spy etc to keep them lookin up and put. Now they are 7 and 9 they are a bit better, can use sick bags. Now take half a boots travel sick pill before journey. At 2 there may be some anti histamine liquid medicines that may help if you want to use medicine. We only did for longer journeys like holidays, and mostly just stuck to driving an hour max. And no runny foods prior to journey. Definitely no ellas kitchen pouches (or similar). Changes of clothes, wet wipes, bin bag, towel and hand sanitiser in boot at all times. Also made our own washable covers for seat belts as if they were ill, bits got stuck in the belt / strap. And our car seats had washable seat covers.

ifonly4 · 20/08/2021 10:41

I've always suffered with travel sickness. I find I'm better off travelling with a full tummy (something like a sandwich/toast) and not too much a couple of hours before travel, and then just a few sips here and there if it's a long journey. Your little one is probably too young to understand at the moment, but I find sucking slowly on crisps seems to delay the inevitable. I guess it's something to do with the salt trying up whatever.

user1471550451 · 20/08/2021 10:49

I have 2 very car sick kids - with my first we got referred to ENT and she was prescribed cinnarazine which works brilliantly with no side effects for us - you can buy it over the counter www.boots.com/stugeron-15-tablets
For 5 years plus although we had it prescribed from 2 years (just half a tablet taken a hour or so before travel)
It’s a bit of a pain that you have to plan car trips but otherwise I line a plastic pot that has a lid with nappie bags and then I can tie them off when used to stop the stink 🤮x

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