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Travel Ailments in Toddlers
From Car Sickness to Sea Sickness
By Katherine Bontrager
There are few things more stressful than traveling with a toddler – unless you count traveling with a toddler who suddenly doesn't feel well. Be it an upset stomach, earache or vomiting, nothing curbs an enjoyable vacation like a wee one who gets sick. Travel ailments are tough to deal with in adults, but children can be even more problematic.
Just ask Kasey Woods, who encounters the same problem every time she travels with her son. "When we travel by plane my son always cries and cries because his ears become 'clogged' and it gives him a headache," says the New York City mom. "Before he could talk and express what was going on it was so frustrating. Now he hates flying [in] planes and it's a hassle to convince him to board quietly because he fears the impending pain. We've tried chewing gum, drinking water during take off and landing and a bunch of other things, but nothing ever truly fixes the problem!"
Now that Woods' son is exiting the toddler years, it's gotten a little easier, but it still takes some work. She works at making an experience of the entire trip. "I let him help pack his suitcase and his travel bag, which includes his snacks and toys," she says. "I don't usually let him chew gum that isn't sugar-free, but when we fly he is allowed to pick whatever gum he wants so that when his ears begin to hurt he can chew the gum to 'pop' his ears."
Traveling with a toddler can be quite an adventure, admits Jennifer Walker, a mother, pediatric nurse and co-author of The Moms on Call Guide to Basic Baby Care: The First 6 Months
