{"id":4799,"date":"2024-05-16T09:52:31","date_gmt":"2024-05-16T09:52:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kars4kids.org\/hub\/?p=4799"},"modified":"2024-05-16T09:52:31","modified_gmt":"2024-05-16T09:52:31","slug":"mommy-i-feel-sick-car-sickness-tips-and-tricks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kars4kids.org\/hub\/mommy-i-feel-sick-car-sickness-tips-and-tricks\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cMommy, I feel Sick\u201d Car Sickness Tips and Tricks"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cMommy, I feel sick,\u201d are the last words a parent wants to hear when driving with a child in tow. If your child has a tendency to get car sick, you know how it goes. There\u2019s a quiet feeling of desperation. Will you be able to pull over in time before they \u201csick\u201d all over your car? The smell of vomit never really comes out, no matter how much you clean the upholstery.<\/p>\n

Plus, you know car sickness or \u201cmotion sickness\u201d as it\u2019s officially called, isn\u2019t serious. Sure you feel sorry for your child, and it\u2019s worrying when you see them pale and white-lipped. At the same time, it\u2019s something that will definitely blow over. Just hopefully not in the literal sense\u2014because vomit in a car is not fun to deal with.<\/p>\n

Of course, motion sickness happens other places, too. Which is why \u201cmotion sickness\u201d is a more accurate term than \u201ccar sickness.\u201d Kids (and adults) can get sick in airplanes, trains, amusement park rides, and even on the swings at the local playground. In short, motion sickness happens. And unfortunately, so does vomit. When you hear your child say, \u201cMommy, I feel sick,\u201d take them seriously.<\/p>\n

Summer Travel and Motion Sickness<\/h2>\n

So with summer coming up, you may be wondering what you can do to prevent or at least minimize symptoms of car or motion sickness in your child. Family road trips<\/a> or airplane rides to visit relatives or exotic destinations are not fun when you\u2019ve got to deal with a child who gets car sick. There\u2019s the parent\u2019s legitimate concern that their child feels unwell. But it\u2019s also legitimate to feel a certain level of anxiety knowing that at any given moment, your child just may toss their cookies. On you, on their siblings, on your car, in a train or plane (which is embarrassing, as well).<\/p>\n

It\u2019s common for children to experience motion sickness. The symptoms of car sickness can include nausea, dizziness, cold sweats, and yes, vomiting. Car sickness is caused by a heightened sensitivity of the inner ear. When children ride in a car, for example, the brain receives certain signals that are triggered by movement. These signals come from the eyes, inner ears, muscles, and joints. When the signals don\u2019t match up, the result is motion sickness.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s say your child is riding in a car while reading. Their inner ear senses motion, but the eyes are involved with reading a book, a stationary object. The child is looking down at the book but his inner ear senses the motion of the car. This can cause mixed signals to the brain, which in turn, can lead to nausea.<\/p>\n

Preventing Car Sickness<\/h2>\n

Kids tend to inherit car sickness. That means it\u2019s not something they can control by willing it away. But there are steps parents can take to prevent or lessen the effects of car sickness.<\/p>\n