My Child Gets Motion Sick: How Do I Survive Travel?
Help for kids who get car sick
One hour into an eight-hour-long car trip, I heard the following from my 4-year-old in the back seat:
“Mommy? My tummy hurts…”
Me: “You’ll be okay; just close your eyes for a little while.”
“Mommy!? [Insert retching sounds, with me frantically looking for a freeway exit].”
My daughter had just vomited. I realized it was going to be a very long drive! For any parent like me who’s cleaned up vomit from a car seat during a road trip, motion sickness may be in your top 5 least favorite parenting situations. And any parent who has experienced motion sickness themselves knows how unpleasant it feels!
Motion sickness – also known as carsickness, airsickness, or seasickness – happens when the balance areas inside your skull don’t agree with the sensory input your eyes are seeing and your body is feeling. Symptoms can include:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sweating or hot flashes
- Headaches
Typically, motion sickness improves once the motion stops. However, in some cases (like after getting off a boat), it can last for hours or even days.
Preventing Motion Sickness
It isn’t known why motion sickness occurs for some kids more than others. And we all want to be able to travel with our kids! Here are the best ways to prevent motion sickness in kids:
- Stop the motion when possible. This may require lots of stops on longer trips.
- Put your child’s car or booster seat in the middle back seat of the car to look out the front window instead of side windows. Kids should not ride in the front seat until age 13.
- Keep the temperature cool. Air conditioning, a cool rag on the forehead, or cold drinks can be helpful.
- Have your child eat a small amount before or during travel. Too much food can worsen nausea, but an empty stomach can also increase symptoms.
- Find ways to distract your child. Singing songs and telling stories can help kids not focus on their symptoms. For my daughter, watching a tablet does help prevent symptoms as it keeps her from looking out the windows. However, for other kids, looking at a book or device may cause motion sickness, so they may do best with their eyes closed.
- Travel at a time where your child may be able to sleep in the car or on the plane.
Treating Motion Sickness
When the above efforts don’t help symptoms, families often ask about treatment for motion sickness. Here are some ideas:
- Pull off the road when safely possible. Have them get out of the car to walk around or lay down on the ground until symptoms improve.
- Have them close their eyes and press their head into the headrest If they’re unable to get out of the car or are on a plane.
- Give them ginger candies or carbonated drinks which can reduce symptoms of motion sickness for many people.
- Use acupressure wrist bands which help some people and have no side effects, making them safe to try in kids.
Parents will often ask about scopolamine patches for motion sickness, as they are commonly used by adults. However, these aren’t recommended for kids under age 12 due to their side effects.
Antihistamines such as diphenhydramine are in over-the-counter children’s motion sickness pills and can be helpful to take before travel for some kids. The side effect of this medication can be sleepiness. It’s a good idea to talk with your child’s doctor before trying this medication. If it’s your child’s first time using diphenhydramine (Benadryl), it may be best to try it at home before your trip. Some kids actually get stimulated (energetic or irritable) rather than tired on the medication – not what you want to find out while traveling!
If none of the above work and your child still gets motion sick on the road or plane, plan ahead by making these “travel survival kit” items easily accessible:
- Cleaning supplies.
- A “puke poncho” (towel tucked in over the car seat straps)
- A change of clothes for your child.
- Gallon-sized plastic zipper bags near your child’s seat so that they can reach them quickly if needed.
- A good attitude and sense of humor!
If your child’s symptoms of motion sickness last for more than a few hours, or if it happens without any triggering motion or movement, please reach out to your pediatrician.
Resources For Parents
American Academy of Pediatrics
My Child Gets Car Sick Quite Often – How Can We Keep This From Happening?
Kaiser Permanente
Featured Author
I joined the pediatrics team at Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento to help kids thrive. A professional interest of mine is to support breastfeeding families as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). During my medical training, I also pursued a degree in public health/health promotion - a field which applies to every patient visit in pediatrics. Yet, some of my most relevant experiences as a pediatrician has come from my two children, who have “trained” me first-hand on the challenges of parenthood and in finding the balance between evidence-based recommendations and reality to achieve optimal childhood growth and development. Dr. Frost's full biography can be found on My Doctor Online. Disclaimer: If you have an emergency medical condition, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. An emergency medical condition is any of the following: (1) a medical condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in serious jeopardy to your health or body functions or organs; (2) active labor when there isn't enough time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery, or if transfer poses a threat to your (or your unborn child's) health and safety, or (3) a mental disorder that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity such that either you are an immediate danger to yourself or others, or you are not immediately able to provide for, or use, food, shelter, or clothing, due to the mental disorder. This information is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of specific medical advice or care you receive from your physician or other health care professional. If you have persistent health problems, or if you have additional questions, please consult with your doctor. If you have questions or need more information about your medication, please speak to your pharmacist. Kaiser Permanente does not endorse the medications or products mentioned. Any trade names listed are for easy identification only.