Does your toddler feel sick while traveling?
If YES, then it must be car sickness!
PRO FACT: Toddler car sickness happens because of conflicting information supplied to the brain. Conflicting information is received from different senses like the inner ear, eyes, etc.
However, many toddlers experience car sickness during traveling. Your child’s inner ear will sense car movement while other senses won’t. However, it might result in cold sweat, upset stomach, fatigue, or vomiting.
TIP: Some researchers claim that toddler car sickness is not a life-threatening condition. However, it can overcome the time period of activities for toddlers which they enjoy. So every parent should focus on their activities.
Luckily, there are some ways to overcome toddler car sickness. Let’s explore further how you can prevent it.
How Can Car Sickness Disturb Your Kids’ Health?
Car sickness is more common in toddlers than young adults. However, the main reason is toddlers can’t see past the seat in front of them.
PRO FACT: The inner ear of your toddler can sense the motion. At the same time, other parts of their body don’t sense any motion.
As a result, the brain receives movement signals from the inner ears. However, it creates conflict in senses that results in car sickness. It can result in nausea, cold sweats, upset stomach, vomiting, and more.
TIP: It is a common condition but necessarily not all toddlers experience it. Some kids can get toddler car sickness while others don’t.
The Recent Research About the Car Sickness Causes:
Many researchers study the causes of car sickness. However, it happens because sensory organs of the body send conflicting information to the brain.
PRO FACT: Usually, toddlers face backward during traveling. It creates a disconnect between visual and balance information.
Even after facing towards the front, toddlers still experience car sickness. The reason is they sit so low that they can’t see outside the window!
TIP: You can prevent it by starting at a fixed point. Doing so will be helpful to get better brain signals from the body’s senses.
Another reason might be sitting in the backseat of the car. However, it makes it hard to see the horizon outside the window. Most of the kids are busy watching cartoons or playing with toys during their travels.
Amazing Tips to Prevent Kids Car Sickness:
It is not clear why car sickness is a more common problem in kids than adults!
PRO TIP: You can prevent car sickness with some simple strategies.
1. Look up and out
Car sickness can be avoided by looking up and out from the car. However, you would have an idea which kid is more prone to toddler car sickness.
PRO TIP: Kenneth B. Ain suggests mothers sit their kid in the middle seal. It will help your kid to get a clear view of the outside through the windshield.
In addition, books and video games are not good activities for kids while traveling. It can also trigger car sickness in them. Perhaps, you can arrange such activities that involve looking out of the car.
2. Always Travel in Your Baby Sleeping Time:
Traveling at night is a good idea to prevent toddler car sickness!
You can start your journey late at night or very early in the morning. However, it is usually the nap time of most kids.
PRO FACT: Travel during the sleep time of your baby keeps them asleep for a good portion of the trip.
3. Pick Some Snacks and Bland Foods:
If you need to eat before leaving home or during traveling, eat light food. Try to pick bland and digestible food for your kids.
It will not upset their stomach during traveling, suggested by Sanford M. Archer.
PRO TIP: You can choose non-spicy crackers, plain snack bars, and dry cereals. Try to avoid heavy foods and sugary drinks. It can upset the stomach during traveling.
4. Open The Car Windows:
Fresh air can be helpful to prevent the sick feeling of car sickness.
PRO TIP: Another important thing is scents and odor can also trigger car sickness. So, try to avoid air sprays and strong scents during traveling. It will be helpful to prevent toddler car sickness.
5. Confound all Sensory Input:
You can experience sensory input in the car, boat, general transport, or on the plane. Car driving is a common mode of transportation in daily life. So, Robert J. Baumann claims car sickness is a more frequent problem. However, it tends to happen more in kids than adults.
PRO TIP: You can prevent it by overcoming all sensory input. Looking down can also trigger car sickness. Encourage your toddler to look out or up from the car. Traveling during your child’s nap can also help to prevent it.
6. Properly Plan Good Meals:
Don’t eat heavy food before or during travel.
During long trips, you can pick light and bland foods!
PRO TIP: Adam Fox suggests that you can give your kids dry snack bars, crackers, or small drinks during the trip.
7. Provide Proper Ventilation and Give Then Distraction:
Proper ventilation can help to stave off sick feelings during traveling. However, you can open windows and the sunroof to let fresh air get inside the car.
You can distract your kid by talking, singing songs, or listening to music during the trip.
PRO FACT: Distraction is also helpful to prevent toddler car sickness.
8. Use Good Medication
The use of proper medication can aid in the prevention of toddler car sickness. Before traveling, you can ask your family doctor about the use of medications.
PRO FACT: As per the research conducted by Massimo Garriboli, the doctor can prescribe some antihistamines to avoid this problem. Medicines like dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) or diphenhydramine (Benadryl) work best for it.
Before use, carefully read dose instructions and side effects. You can use them one hour before traveling for better results.
Final Verdict:
No one likes to waste these moments by getting sick during a trip. Many kids can experience car sickness during traveling.
But luckily, you can prevent it by using some simple tips and guides for a new mom!
When your toddler starts feeling sick, immediately stop traveling.
PRO TIP: Walking outside in fresh air for a few minutes can be helpful. You can also lie down your kid on the back seat with closed eyes.