Car Sickness

[ColaCat]

My 18 month old seems to be car sick on long journeys. I have never heard of this at that age - does anyone have any experience or ideas?

Just from previous experience:

Try to make sure they can see out of the window or through the headrest in from of them;

Try to time journeys when they'll sleep as this seems to help

Don't give them anything too heavy or sweet to eat/drink (probably unlikely for an 18 month old anyway) especially blackcurrant (nothing worse than purple vom!)

The rear seats of Volvo Estates are dreadful for car-sickness - avoid!

Keep the air temp in the car low if possible.

Hope this helps

don't let them go hungry
buy those travelbands from boots - wear on wrist and works like acupuncture- will 18mnth old keep them in the right place??

Avoid milk and milk products for eight hours before the journey if you can. I had to do this for my two dds from about 18months old.

My DS was like this although he has got better as he is able to look out more. He is 3 and has only been sick twice this year I think. Avoid books and other amusements that involve looking down - encourage looking out of the window (eg can you see the cows? or whatever is appropriate at that age). Give something dry such as toast for breakfast and avoid cereal.

We are having the same problem with ds aged 18mths, went to get the travel bands yesterday and was told they are only for children 3yrs and over. Pharmacist told me to talk to doctor.

mez75 we had the same problem with DS - nothing until 3 by which point things had improved - I think because he can see out more.

DD2 gets seasickness which we didn't realise until we were half-way to France

She was 2 at the time, went into Boots to get travel sickness pills for me and the other 2 kids - asked if there was anything for DD2 - the pharmacist assured me that it is VERY RARE! for an under-3 to get travel sickness - hence why most medication is over3s.

Unfortunately, a little while into our journey to France, DD2 was ill For the journey home, I gave her HALF a tablet and she seemed OK.
She was OK last year as she was old enough for the tablets.

My tips for DD2 are gingerbread biscuits, water to drink and not allowing her to get hot.

Funnily enough, she's fine in cars (as are my other 2) but I get travelsick in a car

I agree with avoiding milk beforehand. I found that mine needed something in their tummy so plain toast or a rich tea biscuit would do the job. If you need medication Phenergan syrup can be used for travel sickness in small children. You'll have to ask for it at the chemist.

DD1 gets carsick from time to time. Heat seems to be a factor. Our best tip is to put tapes on for ehr to listen to in the car. It is rare for her to get sick while she has something to focus on, but as others have said not books or toys. WE also tried to avoid milk products immediately before a trip (mainly because it stinks the car out so much)

My ds had terrible car sickness from under year old which he finally outgrew sometime after turning 3. (He's 3.5 now and we haven't had vomit in a car for several months now!) The driver made a big difference. He rarely threw up when I was driving and ALWAYS threw up when dh was driving and in taxis. It definitely helped not to give him sweet things or drinks before a journey. And we never let him have toys or books in the car. Also as they get older try to play games that involve looking at things out of the car (ie look at those trees/trucks/birds over there). Keep a window open near him. And as someone else said, time journey's for nap time.
Beware...our ds not only got car sick, but seasick too. This meant that even playing in a plastic inflatable boat in 6 inches of water would get him seasick enough to throw up everywhere.

Thanks everybody - that's really useful! I'll try all your tips on the next long journey and see how we do

Just found this, brilliant as usual.

Fascinating about the pharmacist saying rare for under-3s to get travel sick - I think dd developed her carsickness about a month after her 3rd birthday!

I felt sick on the London Eye!

My dd (6) on the odd occasion gets carsick, she is fine on motorways, but country twisty roads are a different matter. She has got a toy washing up bowl that I take in the car with me just in case or a carrier bag and if she thinks she is going to be sick I can hand it over..

Where does he/she sit in the car, CC? Looking anywhere except straight ahead out of the front window does for my carsick son (even on the motorway. Windy roads are worse though). If the carseat is in the middle of the backseat with a clear view ahead it should be a bit better. Agree about nothing at all rich to eat or drink before or during the journey.

If you can do your long journeys at naptime or at night you'll be OK.

Ohhh, didn't notice original date! CC's 18-month-old will be nearly 2 now!

Good luck with yours, binkie. Defo keep a carrier bag in the car at all times - ideally one without the little ventilation holes in the bottom...

I'm 37 and I STILL get car sick especially in back seat. If child in back of car, keep car cool or better still, let them have a breeze on face (not too cold though). Also, take corners/roundabouts slow and ignore honking horns! Good Luck.

My old primary school headmistress had an excellent travel-sickness cure. Pink coloured water kept in an old brown medicine bottle. Prior to school trips she would have us line up and, with a tablespoon, ceremonially dose us with the 'travel sickness medicine'. (Cue theatrical pulling of faces and bleaarrrrch noises). Not one child was sick - including me, and I used to have quite a problem in that area.

I have been known to hand round the occasional -Mint- -Imperial- -Tic- -Tac- travel sickness pill to dodgy child passengers myself.... mwah-hah-hah-haaaah.....