Table of contents:
- Signs and symptoms of motion sickness in children
- Causes of motion sickness
- How to prevent motion sickness in children?
- Cure for motion sickness
- When should you call a doctor?
Car sickness is caused by signals sent from the senses of movement, such as the eyes, inner ears, nerves in the feet and hands, to the brain. Under normal circumstances, these three areas will respond to movements that occur. When the signals received and sent are out of sync with each other, for example when you see rapid movement in a film, your eyes will feel the movement, but the inside of your ears and nerves won't feel it - your brain will receive conflicting signals and activity makes you feel nauseous. The same is true when your child sits in a low seat in the car so that he or she cannot see out the window. The insides of her ears can feel movement, but her eyes and nerves don't feel it.
Signs and symptoms of motion sickness in children
Car sickness usually starts with a slight feeling of nausea, cold sweat, fatigue, and lack of appetite. Usually will be followed by vomiting. The child may not be able to describe the feeling of nausea, but it will show when the face becomes pale and restless, yawns, and cries. Then, he will lose his appetite (even his favorite food), and vomit. This is because traveling by car makes him nauseous, but it usually gets better with time.
Causes of motion sickness
There is no clear reason why some children experience motion sickness more frequently than others. Because many children who initially get motion sickness experience headaches over the years, many believe that motion sickness is an early form of migraine.
Car sickness usually occurs on ships, planes, or while traveling on a rocky basis, such as turbulence or shaking on an airplane, or a rough sea. Stress and excitement can also trigger motion sickness or make it worse.
How to prevent motion sickness in children?
If your child starts experiencing motion sickness symptoms, it's best to stop activities that cause motion sickness. If this happens in the car, take a moment to rest and let the child go out to "catch the wind" for a while. If you're on a long trip, you'll need to make a few short stops. If this condition is due to playing swings or carousels, stop the game and keep the child away from the toy.
Since car sickness is most often felt from motion sickness, many preventative tips have been developed. Apart from making short stops, try the following!
- If your child hasn't eaten 3 hours before the trip, give your child a light snack before the trip. It also applies to airplane and ship travel. This can reduce hunger, which can make motion sickness symptoms worse
- Try to distract your child from feeling nauseous. Try listening to the radio, singing, or chatting.
- Try looking at the scenery outside the car, not reading or playing games.
- If the above tips don't help, stop the car, let your child lie down with their eyes closed. A cold compress on the forehead can also help reduce car sickness symptoms.
Cure for motion sickness
If you are going on a trip and your child has had car sickness before, you can give him a hangover medication before the trip as a preventive measure. Some of these drugs can be purchased at the pharmacy without using a prescription, but consult your pediatrician before using it. While this medication can help, sometimes it will cause side effects such as drowsiness (which means when you get to your destination, your child will be too tired to enjoy it), dry mouth and nose, or blurred vision.
When should you call a doctor?
If your child develops motion sickness symptoms when motionless, such as if your child has a headache; difficulty hearing, seeing, speaking, or walking; or if your child's gaze is blank, tell your pediatrician about it. This could be a symptom of a problem other than motion sickness.
