Motion Sickness in Children

Many children experience motion sickness when riding in cars, boats, planes or trains. They may also experience motion sickness on carnival or theme park rides. Some children may even experience motion sickness while swinging.

Causes

• Motion sickness occurs when the brain receives conflicting messages about body motion. One signal may indicate the body is still while another may indicate that the body is in motion.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of motion sickness include nausea, fatigue, sweating and vomiting.

Prevention

• Children who are prone to motion sickness should ride in the car's middle seat. If on a plane, it is helpful to allow the child to sit near the middle of the plane. Also, allow the child to eat a snack before beginning a trip, since nausea is worse on an empty stomach.

Medications

• Over-the-counter anti-nausea medications can be given to children aged two and older to prevent or stop symptoms.

Other Treatments

• If possible, take breaks from whatever activity is causing the motion sickness. Also, allowing the child to lay down with a cold cloth placed on the forehead may alleviate symptoms. In addition, exposing the child to cool air may help as well.