Anyone who has travelled with a motion sick child knows dizzy, nauseating misery their child is going through, and what you as a parent would give to make it stop.
Children typically don’t start experiencing motion sickness until they're six years old, peaking at about 9 years old and decreasing over the next few years.
Ashleigh Hutson, Retail Manager of Wizard Pharmacy Casuarina (pictured), says prevention is key when it comes to motion sickness in children.
“Motion sickness in children can turn a family outing into a challenging experience", Ashleigh says. "However, prevention of motion sickness is more effective than treating symptoms after they have occurred."
Choose the right seating plan
Place your child in a position where they can see the horizon - the middle car seat is usually good spot. This helps to provide a stable reference point. Sitting over the wing of an aircraft or sitting in the middle of a boat, looking out to the horizon will help reduce motion sickness.
Fresh air is best
To alleviate nausea ensure there's good ventilation and air flow in the vehicle. Open windows or use air conditioning to maintain fresh air circulation.
Limit screen time
Excessive screen time can contribute to motion sickness. A combination of the movement on the screen and having the head looking down can contribute to motion sickness. Encourage breaks from screen time by stopping for fresh air or play a simple game of ‘eye spy’.
Gradual exposure
If your child is prone to motion sickness, gradually expose them to travel. Start with short trips and progressively increase the duration to help build tolerance.
A final word
Ashleigh recommends visiting your local pharmacy where you can access medicines that can help reduce the impact of motion sickness.
“Motion sickness tablets for children, containing hyoscine hydrobromide, temporarily reduce the effect of movement on the balance organs of the inner ear and the nerves responsible for nausea. These tablets melt in the mouth and absorb quickly into the bloodstream so they can be taken up to 20–30 minutes before travelling or at the onset of sickness. For a more natural remedy, supplements containing ginger extract can be used to help settle the nausea associated with travel sickness."
If you're traveling with kids who suffer from motions sickness, Ashley recommends having drinks on hand that contain the right balance of electrolytes and glucose for rapid rehydration after vomiting.
“If you do give your child pharmacy medication to help with motion sickness, the type and dosage will depend on your child’s age, weight, and existing medical conditions, so be sure to ask your pharmacist for advice,” Ashleigh explains.
