Car Sick 18 Month Old

I use to get carsick growing up and sometimes now as a passenger. It's worse if I'm in the backseat, which I refuse to sit in because I feel so sick. It really helped me to look out the front window. Maybe try putting her in the middle of the backseat so she can see out. Just a thought, last 2 times I was on a plane, I experienced being planesick and a bit of dizziness. My doctor thought it might be that I was congested and it was my inner ear. Maybe see if her inner ear/balance is making her dizzy, sounds weird, but maybe the motion of everything is making her dizzy. Good Luck, I hope you find a solution.

Growing up I always got car sick. The only thing that helped me was sleeping. Try to get her to go to sleep. Get her a sleep mask and make a game out of it. Tell her that the trip will go by faster if she sleeps.

Only draw back is that until I met my husband I couldn't sit in a car for more than five minutes before I fell asleep. He would get so mad at me. It took a long time and many miserable trips of stuggling to stay awake before I ended the habit.

I also have a terrible sense of direction and will forget how to get somewhere if I don't go there all the time. I always find my way but typically by a very scenic route. :)

Well you should try everything you can to her and get some CarSik Bibs http://carsikbib.com

Take a look at the site--i think this is something that could help you.

I got car sick as a child and still do now. I always heard it did have something to do with watching the landscape because it affects your inner balance mechanism (propriaceptive sense). I always sit in the front seat (which you can't do with your daughter), don't read and I nap.

Maybe it would help if you sat in the back seat with her and hung blankets around her so she can't see out the windows. Then you and she could play with play doh, small toys etc. Reading might make it worse. Also, I wonder if you could use those elastic bracelets on a child they make for motion sickness. I used those when I went sailing and they really helped. I just bought them at Jewel or Walgreens. They are inexpensive.

Maybe call a Travel Clinic and see what they say. There is one at Children's Memorial Hospital. Call 1-800-KID-SDOC. A.

Go to your local pharmacy and get "Sea-band". They are elastic wrist bands that have a small plastic nub on them that use an accu-pressure treatment. One of my sons also started getting car sick around that age. I drove to Florida with him getting sick for two days! On a trip to Michigan, out of frustration, I stopped at a small mom & pop drug store and asked the pharmacist's advice. It was the best thing I ever did! They work wonderfully! I even used them myself when I went on a cruise.

Hi J., Iam so sorry your little one is going thru this. I think I read 1 of the other moms mention this. Get one of those portable DVD players and her favorite movies and put them in the car with you. That way she will watch the movie and not what is going on out the window. Also noise might be causing this,just not the movement of the car. So maybe get a pair of over-the-head earphones for her for the dvd player for her. Good luck to you.

J.,
Please come see me for Homeopathy! I need more information in order to prescribe the proper homeopathic for your baby. Homeopathy is very safe, I give it to my 13 month old. My work number is ###-###-####. I'm a Naturopathic Doctor and work at THe Health Doctors, Ltd. in Warrenville (near AMC Cantera & SuperTarget off of Diehl rd). I have availability on Monday & Tuesday next week from 10a-1p & 3p-6:30pm, then I'm off for the holidays.
Your baby will do great on Homeopathy & you can resume normal life. I will evaluate her completely, so allow up to 2 hours for the visit. You'll need to fill out a pediatric intake form when you get here. See you soon!
A. M., ND

Maybe she isn't getting car sick.Maybe she is excited! I wish I had some better advice.Good luck!

http://www.askdrsears.com/faq/ci18.asp

CARSICK INFANT
"Please help! Our one-year-old gets sick every time we drive somewhere. It started just after she turned one but before we turned her car seat around. We figured that if we turned the car seat to face forward that would solve the problem, but it hasn't. The car seat is situated in the back seat on the passenger side, as it will not attached properly in the center of the back seat. We don't want to 'medicate' her every time we go to the store, but wouldn't mind doing that for long trips. (For treating carsickness can we use benadryl? -- Isn't benadryl the same as Dramamine?) We need help for our everyday running around short of buying a new car so that we can put the car seat in the center of the back seat?"

Of course, the middle of the back seat is the safest place for a car seat, so anything you can do to put it there would be nice. Also, it can help to look out the front window from the center of the back. Dramamine is safe for 2 year-olds and up. Benadryl is similar (but not the same) and would be safe to try. Check out the Medicine Cabinet for the correct dose. Below are some more tips on dealing with motion sickness. If this becomes a persistent problem, an occupation therapist specializing in sensory integration might be able to help. An OT could test her vestibular system (this is where motion sickness comes from) and possibly show you some exercises to strengthen this system. To find an OT that could do this, visit American Occupational Therapy Association, Sensory Integration Special Interest Section: www.aota.org

What is motion sickness, anyway?

Motion sickness results from a conflict between the eye and ear: the inner ears detect that the car is moving, but the eyes-- focused within the car-- do not. The brain gets mixed signals, and nausea results. Usually your child will first complain that she feels queasy-- allowing some time to fix the situation before actual vomiting starts.

It is easier to prevent motion sickness than it is to stop it once it starts.

Tips to prevent motion sickness in the car:

Focus on the horizon

Encourage your child to focus on a distant point outside the car
Play car games like "I Spy" that get the child to look outside
Bring along books on cassettes or CD's; your child can listen while looking out the window
Limit activities such as reading or playing hand-held video games, where the eyes stay focused within the car
For toddlers in car-seats, position the seat so that the child can see outside

Avoid Rear Seats

Avoid the rear-most seat in a van - kids seem to feel the van's motion more in the rear seat
Facing backwards is to be avoided, too.

Fresh Air

A child on the verge of queasiness may feel better if the window is open
Also, no one should be smoking in a vehicle with kids inside!
Also avoid strong-smelling foods or snacks

Settle the stomach

A child fighting queasiness may feel better if he munches on a dry cracker
An empty stomach is not best for avoiding motion sickness
Avoid greasy and hard-to-digest food

Smoother Driving

The less braking and swaying the better
A suspension system in poor shape can make things worse

FREQUENT STOPS!

Plan enough time on your trip to stop and let your kids get out of the car

Watch for early signs of motion sickness

Make sure to listen, if your child says he's feeling sick or dizzy. Also, pay attention if she loses her appetite, or appears pale or sweaty.
Here are some additional tips:

Peppermints candies. Keep a supply in the car

Ginger snap cookies. Eat a couple before you start the trip and then periodically during the trip.

Avoid reading in the car, particularly on winding bumpy roads. Be sure to keep eye focus mainly to front.

Use Seabands, which are wristbands with a small round metal button that presses into the inside of each wrist. They are tight & work by acupressure. My wife swears by them!

Place the child in the middle of the backseat so they can see out the front, rather than the sides, which can appear as a blur.

Pick a spot as far away as you can see and just focus on that for a few minutes not the road whizzing by.

Breath deep through your mouth, not your nose.

Stick your hand out the window, just a little bit; the fresh air blowing on your hand can help.

Keep an empty large Tupperware containers in the car with a cover, so that in case of an accident, you can re-cover the tub until you reach a place you can empty and rinse it out.

Keep plenty of lollipops on hand

A cool face cloth. The minute someone feels that urge come on, hand them a peppermint and have them place the cool face cloth on their forehead.

An ice pack applied to the back of the neck -- ten minutes on, ten minutes off -- works wonders.

Take Benadryl or Dramamine 1-1/2 hour prior to drive. Don't wait until you are already on the road or it will be too late.

Keep a bottle of Fabreeze to get rid of accident odors

Never travel without a big tub of wet wipes!

Keep an extra change of clothing in the car.

Dr. Jim

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=2007033023393...

Does anyone have a recomendation for infant car sickness,my child is one and can not take dramamine yet any su

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
Oh, I feel for you! Nothing like driving down the highway with one arm twisted into the back seat trying to catch baby puke in your bare hand.

We found our daughter had a period of car sickness from about 16-24 months. It was better if she didn't eat before a long car trip, we kept the car cool, took off her coat and opened the window next to her about two inches. The fresh air and lower temperature helped a whole lot.

Ginger is easy to make into a tea, if your baby will take that through a bottle or sippy cup. Just a few mouthfuls is all a 1 year old would need. I've also seen ginger lollipops for pregnant women, if your child is coordinated enough to lick that a few times.
1 year ago

Make sure your child cannot see the front windshield. Make sure that he/she only looks out the side windows. This helps tremendously. Also, have them eat something with ginger. Ginger candies (asian stores) or ginger soft drink. it soothes the tummy.

http://www.thebabyhammock.com/c-carsick_kids.htm
How to Help a Motion Sick Child
As the mother of a little girl who suffers terribly with motion sickness on any car ride that lasts longer than about twenty minutes, I have become intimately familiar with the battle cry of "mommy I feel sick!" I've spent countless hours combing the internet, books, and medical journal articles looking for help and have quizzed every adult I know who has suffered from motion sickness about how to help her. Here's what I've learned...I hope that it helps you and your little one.
Motion sickness is the result of the brain receiving conflicting messages from the inner ears (which control balance and equilibrium) and sensory receptors in the body and what the eyes see. The greater the conflict in signals; the greater the chance of distress. For example when a child reads a book, watches a video, or plays a handheld game in the backseat of a car, they feel the motion of the car in their inner ear and body but since her view is focused on the printed page or screen the eyes are sending the message that they are stationary. This conflicting sensory input causes confusion in the brain that triggers nausea, vomiting and other symptoms of motion sickness.
Most doctors say that motion sickness peaks between the ages of 2-12, however it can develop in infancy and some people never outgrow it. If your baby is unusually fussy on long car rides it could be caused by motion sickness. Our daughter had her first episode of vomiting from motion sickness at 10 months old, which is when we realized that her fussiness on car trips was a symptom of feeling car sick.
Each child is different and finding the right combination of therapies is usually a matter of trying different things until you hit on the combination that best helps your child. Remember that motion sickness remedies are most effective if you begin using them before nausea starts rather than waiting until your child is already feeling ill. The following suggestions should help you to find the right combination for your child.
Open the windows. Fresh air seems to help reduce nausea as does keeping the temperature cool. Overheating and stale air seem to worsen symptoms, so crack the windows open as much as the weather allows.
Avoid strong smells. Strong smells can trigger or exacerbate nausea and vomiting. So try to avoid smoke, heavy perfume, exhaust fumes, factory smells etc. If possible use the "recycle" setting on the ventilation system to keep road smells outside. Aromatherapy can sometimes help, you may want try a few drops of natural citrus, lavender or peppermint essential oil on a cloth that can be sniffed as needed.
Stop frequently. Since many kids don't get sick during the first 30minutes or so of a car trip, frequent stops can reduce the likelihood of becoming ill. Be sure to let your child get out of the car for some fresh air and physical activity at each stop. This will help them to get their equilibrium back before getting back in the car.
Sit you child as far forward in the car as their age allows. For children younger than 12 sitting in the first row of rear seats rather than in the back row in a van is usually best. Encourage them to look at cars and scenery out ahead of you or have them look at the horizon. This helps to reduce the conflicting signals between the eyes and inner ear and the rear seats tend to experience the most motion. Try playing some games such as "I spy" or "license plate letter hunt" to keep them to looking out the window and keep their mind occupied. For children over 12 who are big enough to sit in the front seat safely this position should help to reduce motion sickness.
Put your child in an approved car seat or booster. Not only is a car seat critical for your child's safety, but it also helps to prevent nausea by letting them sit up high enough to see out the front window.
Avoid reading or playing video games. Reading, coloring, playing handheld games or even watching videos in thecar can trigger motion sickness or make it worse. Books on CD or games focused outside are a better bet for entertaining your child without increasing nausea.
Eat a light snack before hitting the road. When motion sickness symptoms start one of the things that happens is that digestion slows. Heavy or greasy meals before traveling or along the way can make nausea worse. Starting with an empty stomach may cause trouble too a light healthy meal or snack is likely to be your best bet. Rather than relying on fast food on the road bring healthy snacks such as crackers, fresh veggies, fruit, or cheese sticks.
Bring a cold pack. Placing a cold pack or even a cool washcloth on the back of your child's neck the moment nausea begins to set in can be very soothing.
Try Ginger. Have your child eat a few pieces of crystalized ginger or strong ginger candies before you start the trip and then periodically during the trip. For those old enough to swallow pills ginger capsules can work wonders as well.
Try accupressure bands. BioBands, are adjustable Velcro wrist bands with a small round bead that presses into the P6 acupressure point on the inside of the wrist. BioBands have been shown to be so effective in treating motion sickness (and other types of nausea) that they have received FDA marketing clearance.
Keep plenty of lollipops on hand. Sucking on a lollipop in flavors known to reduce nausea can work wonders and it is one treatment that your child will love! CarSickKids.com carries Queasy Pop Kids which are specially formulated to help relieve motion sickness and also Yummy Earth Organic lollipops in flavors known to ease nausea for those children whose parents prefer organic product and those who cannot eat products containing corn syrup. (As nearly every other lollipop on the market does.)
Be prepared for the worst. No matter what treatments you try it is still important to be prepared for unexpected vomiting. Knowing that they have a safe place to get sick if they need to will help to keep your child calm and will in turn keep everyone else in the car more comfortable as well. Keep a supply of sturdy , leak proof, bags in the car for emergencies, plus wet wipes for cleanups and a fresh change of clothes in case it is needed. The Red E Bag is a perfect solution for unexpected (or not so unexpected) vomiting. It is a reusable sickness bag with disposable, leak proof, liners and space to store the rest of your motion sickness supplies.
CarSickKids.com offers a full range of products to prevent and treat motion sickness. Check out the Motion Siskness Starter Set: a complete self-contained kit that will keep you organized and prepared to help any family member who is prone to motion sickness.

Bio Bands - The only doctor-invented adjustable acupressure bracelets. Unlike restrictive elastic type bands that usually fit too loose or tight, BioBand's adjustable construction fits all wrist sizes properly and comfortably. Its hook and loop closure and solid construction hold up well- even in salt water! More...
Queasy Pop Kids - Developed by healthcare professionals to provide relief from the queasy stomach associated with motion sickness and chemotherapy. More...
Red E Bag - The perfect solution for getting sick in public. More...
Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops all natural with no corn syrup or artificial additives in flavors know to ease nausea More...

Crystalized Ginger - Ginger has been used for centuries to help ease nausea. Our crystalized ginger is made with only fresh natural ginger root and pure cane sugar. More...
Ginger Capsules - for older children and adults who are able to swallow pills this is an easy way to get the nausea quelling benefits of ginger. More...
Motion Sickness Starter Set - This collection of products is just what you need to be prepared for your next trip. Everything you need to ease the misery and keep things clean

I hope you find something that works for your child and even for your husband.Take care.
Linda

try facing her the other way - if she is rear facing move her forward facing, if she is forward facing go back to rear facing (find a convertible seat that can sit her rear facing till she is bigger). Maybe you could put a blanket over the window since you said that it's better at night when she can't see out. (create a tent around her basically?)

Also you could try the seabands wrist bands. My sister has had great luck with them.

Hi J.,
My son had issues with car sickness for many years. If the ride was 20mins. or longer especially highway driving he would throw up. Our doctor said he was too young for any meds, but to try giving him Benydryll to have him fall asleep. I didn't like that idea. My husband works for Walgreens and talked to his pharmacist. He said a 1/4 of a Dramamine would be fine. That was all he needed. When we gave him that, he didn't throw up. If we forgot or gave it too late, he would throw up. Good luck with whatever you try.

I have always had a problem with car / motion sickness. Unfortunatly, so does my daughter. I do the same thing and wait to feed her until we get to where we are going. I also make sure she does not get overheated. Even in the winter - no snowpants - I just put a blanket over her legs. By putting a blanket on her, it makes for an easier clean up too. Once she is able, keep a bucket in the car or cut the top off a milk carton, I found it was easier for her to get sick into something that doesn't fold up like a plastic bag. I wish you the best of luck.

Dear J.,
I feel your pain. My daughter, now 5, has suffered with motion sickness since she was 2. Even a short ride to the store did it. Some of the information from others is incorrect. Looking out the side window is worse that looking straight ahead. It is difficult to do anything about that when the baby has to sit in the back. The DVD player did not help. We tried the wristbands (accupressure) but I don't think that helped. We also experimented with the timing of meals and types of food. Low fat and low sugar foods were better than say, McDonalds food. The only thing that really helped was the chewable Dramamine. They are 100mg and are scored so you can give low doses. 1/4 tablet doesn't make them so sleepy for shorter trips. For a longer trip 1/2 tablet worked well. The only hope I can give you is now that she is 5 Caroline doesn't get car sick as much but we always travel with a container with a lid and a change of clothes just in case. The one option we didn't explore was the occupational therapy which we did discuss with our doctor. By this point she was improving but that was the next step. Good luck!

I am so sorry....my oldest started getting car seat at one years when her seat was forward facing. Any ride and any length, it didn't matter...my doctor suggested camomielle(?) tea before the car but it didn't seem to work. I took a water hose to the car seat on an almost daily basis..it did get better when she could start to verbalize and we would pull the car over or "give her air" by lowering the windows. A dvd player seemed to help also. My thoughts are with you guys. Good luck.

I can totally relate. When we moved our daughter out of the rear facing seat and into the front facing seat (at 12 mos) she started getting car sick all of the time. We tried everything-toys, books, snacks, no snacks, going out only during nap time- and nothing worked until we tried a portable DVD player. We found a fairly inexpensive one at Walmart and it works wonders! We use it for every trip (big and small) and we have had no problems ever since. I don't know why it works but my daughter no longer complains of stomach aches and hasn't gotten sick at all. We feel it was well worth the investment. I hope this helps. Good luck and Merry Christmas!

So sorry to hear that you daughter gets so car sick. Try the sea-bands, they could help. Also you could try a little fan to help, instead of leaving the window open. Wal-mart has little fans back by the automotive department that have foam blades. They won't hurt her little fingers if she touches it. I had two little girls that got car/air sickness a lot and those little fans saved my life along with the sea bands. The fans cost around $1. Also you could try a little peppermint water. Put a peppermint candy in some water and swish it around and then take the candy out and let her drink it. Good luck.

I have to agree with the Sea Band recommendations. I use them myself for any long trip, and have given them to students for bus rides.

Also, we've had our chiropractor adjust our daughter for car sickness. She says she adjusts kids for it often.

Hi J.! I am not sure if i have any answers for you, i just wanted to say that i know EXACTLY what you are going through! 2 of my 4 children get carsick! My 6 year old being the worst. What happens is she gets this overwelming feeling of "HOT" come over her. I usually have her take her coat off in the winter and fall months as soon as we get in the car when it is warm enough, and in the summer have the air blowing directly on her! The key is also to not let her look out any side windows, i know, it's hard with a baby girl that just doesn't understand and cannot tell you how she is feeling! *I do have to give her Dramamine(sp?) for any trip over 20 mins.- and have spent many car rides pulling over so that she can stick her head out the door to "cool off"! What does your hubby do to help with his carsickness? How does it feel to him?
Good luck with your precious little one!
T.

Try gingered candy. Ginger works for motion sickness. I figure the candy is the best way to get her a little. Do not give her much of a piece. Ginger is a hot spice. I do love it though. Shame on my Grandmother for teaching me to like it.

All 3 of us sisters got carsick as children. My mom learned that sucking on a lemon wedge settled our stomachs. Maybe your child can suck on drops of a frozen lemondade ice cube while en route. Might help dad to suck a lemon wedge also.

First you need to get her eyes checked. This sounds exactly like my twins. My daughter by the age of two had glasses. I was so sad I had waited for so long to check them but the eye dr said she was actually found early. My son however still gets car sick and he is three and we see an amazing OT therapist who does a lot of spinning work with him and his neck that helps the car sickness you would be amazed! Your daughter could ahve low muscle tone and in your ear when the tone is low it does crazy things and even hurt when the vaccuum is on or hair dryer since the muscle cant close up tigh enough. So take her to a place or have her evaluated by early childhood and see if you can get her in for the spinning stuff not sure what it is called but a professional place will know what I am talking about. They tried todrug my kids too with many drugs asthma meds. reflux mds , dramamine etc. but this is what worked for us and I highily suggest it if anything the OT will just make your child stronger.
J.

My son (3 1/2 now) gets carsick and did even when he was that little. We ended up letting him chew on crackers in the car. The hour before we left, he did not get anything to eat. So, in the car he had a snack. It seems to really help settle his stomach while in the car. He does seem to be growing out of a little a bit. He rarely throws up anymore, but we always have an extra change of clothes, a small pail to throw up in, and a "cape" to wrap around him. It is the movement out of the windows and the brightness of the sun that would bother him, too. We bought him sunglasses to wear or a hat to help. Good luck!!! I know it is rough to go through!!!!