Motion sickness in kids can take the fun away while travelling. Know the causes and symptoms of motion sickness in kids and find ways to deal with it. Travelling with kids can be a difficult experience if they have motion sickness. In fact you may not even be aware that the kids have this condition unless you travel with them. Motion sickness is nothing but the feeling of nausea, vomiting and headache while travelling. These are the most common symptoms of motion sickness. So it is always better to have a plan or strategy ready, should the kid fall prey to motion sickness. In this articleCauses of Motion Sickness in KidsSymptoms of Motion Sickness in KidsKeep Off the Rush HoursBreak Up the Travel ScheduleEnsure SleepKeep the Kid EngagedCauses of Motion Sickness in Kids Motion sickness is caused when the individual is in a vehicle that is moving continuously in a prolonged motion. Kids who get affected actually sense the change in balance and this causes the discomfiture. It is basically the inner ear, the organ that determines the sense of balance and inertia of the body. The discrepancy between the motion that is slated to occur, and the actual motion that the organ sense, cause this motion sickness. The brain receives a confused message due to these multiple signals which lead to the varied symptoms of motion sickness. The impact of motion sickness is more if there happens to be an added discomfort in the environment. That is, the kid is not able to move or breathe freely, or the air is filled with fumes or the vehicle is stuffy. Symptoms of Motion Sickness in Kids There can be mild to severe headache accompanied by nauseated feelings.There is a feeling of dizziness, weakness and exhaustion with mild to heavy sweating in some cases.The child feels dry, salivate a lot and the face may turn pale in extreme cases.The child begins to throw up, his recent meal and in certain severe cases, there is this empty vomits, if his earlier meal has been fully digested. How to Deal with Motion Sickness in Kids Here are some ways to how to take care of motion sickness in your kid. Keep Off the Rush Hours Traffic snarls during rush hours can be a serious discomfort for the kid. The way in which traffic crawls during rush hours in big metros should be avoided as much as possible to save the motion sickness symptoms. Break Up the Travel Schedule This means that break up your travelling schedule in parts so that the kid is saved from continuous travelling. Those suffering from motion sickness require adequate rest to get back their system to normal. So avoid prolonged travel plans. You will then be able to provide the necessary time for the kid to recuperate and get himself ready for the next grind. Ensure Sleep Plan your travel in such a manner that the kid is asleep for a major part of the journey. This means that it is better if you can travel during early morning or late at night, so that he is less aware of the journey. Keep the Kid Engaged This can be a tricky one. It basically means that help the kid to deviate his thoughts from the discomfort of symptoms of motion sickness that he might be experiencing. When the focus shifts, it is often found that the acuteness of the symptoms also tends to lessen down somewhat. But this obviously does not entail that you ignore the symptoms or make the kid hyperactive, which is not going to help his case. Therefore, apart from the fact that parents need to take all the relevant precautionary measures, it is found that the child’s health returns to normal within a span of two to three days after the travelling is over. If the complications do not get worse, the child returns to normal without the help of medications. But it is a cause for serious worry if the vomiting persists during travel as then the child can get dehydrated which in turn can result in a fatal condition. But otherwise, with these above mentioned simple tips, you can make your travel a better experience for yourself and the kid as well.
Motion sickness in kids can take the fun away while travelling. Know the causes and symptoms of motion sickness in kids and find ways to deal with it. Travelling with kids can be a difficult experience if they have
motion sickness. In fact you may not even be aware that the kids have this condition unless you travel with them. Motion sickness is nothing but the feeling of nausea, vomiting and headache while travelling. These are the most common symptoms of motion sickness. So it is always better to have a plan or strategy ready, should the kid fall prey to motion sickness.
Causes of Motion Sickness in Kids
Motion sickness is caused when the individual is in a vehicle that is moving continuously in a prolonged motion. Kids who get affected actually sense the change in balance and this causes the discomfiture. It is basically the inner ear, the organ that determines the sense of balance and inertia of the body. The discrepancy between the motion that is slated to occur, and the actual motion that the organ sense, cause this motion sickness. The brain receives a confused message due to these multiple signals which lead to the varied symptoms of motion sickness.
The impact of motion sickness is more if there happens to be an added discomfort in the environment. That is, the kid is not able to move or breathe freely, or the air is filled with fumes or the vehicle is stuffy.
Symptoms of Motion Sickness in Kids
- There can be mild to severe headache accompanied by nauseated feelings.
- There is a feeling of dizziness, weakness and exhaustion with mild to heavy sweating in some cases.
- The child feels dry, salivate a lot and the face may turn pale in extreme cases.
- The child begins to throw up, his recent meal and in certain severe cases, there is this empty vomits, if his earlier meal has been fully digested.
How to Deal with Motion Sickness in Kids
Here are some ways to how to take care of motion sickness in your kid.
Keep Off the Rush Hours
Traffic snarls during rush hours can be a serious discomfort for the kid. The way in which traffic crawls during rush hours in big metros should be avoided as much as possible to save the motion sickness symptoms.
Break Up the Travel Schedule
This means that break up your travelling schedule in parts so that the kid is saved from continuous travelling. Those suffering from motion sickness require adequate rest to get back their system to normal. So avoid prolonged travel plans. You will then be able to provide the necessary time for the kid to recuperate and get himself ready for the next grind.
Ensure Sleep
Plan your travel in such a manner that the kid is asleep for a major part of the journey. This means that it is better if you can travel during early morning or late at night, so that he is less aware of the journey.
Keep the Kid Engaged
This can be a tricky one. It basically means that help the kid to deviate his thoughts from the discomfort of symptoms of motion sickness that he might be experiencing. When the focus shifts, it is often found that the acuteness of the symptoms also tends to lessen down somewhat. But this obviously does not entail that you ignore the symptoms or make the kid hyperactive, which is not going to help his case.
Therefore, apart from the fact that parents need to take all the relevant precautionary measures, it is found that the child’s health returns to normal within a span of two to three days after the travelling is over. If the complications do not get worse, the child returns to normal without the help of medications. But it is a cause for serious worry if the vomiting persists during travel as then the child can get dehydrated which in turn can result in a fatal condition. But otherwise, with these above mentioned simple tips, you can make your travel a better experience for yourself and the kid as well.
