Avoid Travel Sickness In Children
Many children suffer from travel sickness, which can be very uncomfortable. In this case, specialists speak of kinetosis.
Do not confuse this condition with abdominal pain or other ailments. In this case, nausea, headache and paleness are caused by the movement of the vehicle. This can also lead to dizziness, nausea or general malaise.
Children are particularly sensitive to this between the ages of three and twelve. But there are also adults who suffer from travel sickness !
Once you know how much your child is suffering on a trip, you need to figure out what exactly can help them. We will then look at this topic in detail.
What is travel sickness and how does it come about?
Kinetosis is defined as the body’s reaction to unusual movement patterns. It is a disorder of the sense of balance in which visual and body sensations are not properly coordinated.
The child’s body is still, but the environment is moving. When the brain misinterprets this and assumes the body is moving, it sends signals that lead to travel sickness.
Symptoms of travel sickness
The following symptoms are very common:
- Feeling dizzy and unstable
- Pale face
- Loss of balance
- Stomach discomfort
- Nausea
- Sweating or feeling cold
How can you prevent travel sickness in children?
There are various ways to prevent the unpleasant discomfort on a vacation trip or a short distance in the car.
Although there are medicines in the pharmacy, we do not recommend them unless they are prescribed by a doctor.
The child has to slowly learn to react correctly even to changed movement patterns. However, various natural remedies can be very helpful in reducing the uncomfortable symptoms and making the trip more comfortable.
Among other things, it is important to pay attention to the correct posture in the car or plane and to avoid abrupt movements as much as possible.
Try putting the following tips into practice to help your child:
Measures before the trip
You shouldn’t give your child anything to eat at least an hour and a half before the trip. If dizziness occurs on the trip, there is less nausea and nausea because the stomach is empty.
It’s best to give your child lean meat and vegetables that day. Avoid dishes such as pasta or hamburgers, as the feeling of fullness that this creates can make you feel sick on the trip. This can also cause uncomfortable flatulence.
Try to plan the trip so that the child is in the car during the time they usually nap. A night trip also makes sense. If the child is asleep, there will be no imbalance.
For this reason, it is good to take various measures so that the child can sleep comfortably while traveling. Don’t forget to bring a pillow to give your head good support.
Actions during the trip
The most effective tips to avoid travel sickness are:
- Children must sit comfortably in their child seat and be well secured. Keep your eyes on the horizon. The child can turn their head slightly to look out the window and observe the landscape.
- Avoid games, cell phones, tablets or books in the car! Children bend their head and this can lead to travel sickness. If the gaze is focused on a certain point and the child then lifts their head and perceives the rapid speed of the car, their brain cannot adapt as quickly and a feeling of dizziness develops.
- It is not recommended to feed the child while traveling. They should only drink water, but only in small amounts. If it’s a long trip, you can take breaks to have a light snack.
- The temperatures in the car are also important: heat increases the dizziness. Therefore, you should turn on the air conditioning or heating low. Occasionally open the windows to let in some fresh air.
If your child is already feeling sick , try breathing exercises to calm them down. Also wet wipes, sachets for possible vomiting and natural remedies such as ginger tablets (or medication prescribed by a doctor) against nausea should not be missing on the trip.
