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Expert Q&A
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| By Jenny Lewis, M.D. Pediatrician | ||
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What can I do about car sickness besides giving him medication?
When we were kids our parents had the instant solution to carsickness -- you got to ride in the front seat. That is still effective, but we now know it carries with it increased risks of injury to the child if the car is involved in an accident. No child under 13 should travel in the front seat unless your garage has deactivated the passenger airbag and the child is belted into a car seat/booster seat appropriate for both height and weight. It is always safer for your children to be in the rear seat.
Motion sickness is caused by a combination of the movement of the vehicle and visual disturbance. Nausea is often worsened if your child attempts to read a book, or play with a toy or game which, due to the movement of the car, cannot be held still. Staring out the side windows is likely to create more nausea than focusing on the forward horizon.
We would advise:
- Don't let your child use games or read while riding in the car
- Don't feed your child immediately before or during rides
- Use shades on the side windows to keep your child's vision focused forward
- Use music or story audio tapes which can be listened to with eyes closed if your child gets bored
- Take your longer journeys at night
Medications such as Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) or Bonine (meclizine, only approved for children over 12 years old) show variable effectiveness from one child to the other. They often cause drowsiness and dry mouth, but may make a long trip more tolerable."
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