Kids with travel sickness

ganderson1804

My 3.5yr old daughter gets terribly car sick if her car seat is positioned behind either the driver or passenger car seat so her car seat is located in the middle seat. She is currently in a Group 1 car seat which does her until about 18kg, she is currently around 15.5-16kg. We have purchased a new Cybex high back booster (fitted with the seat belt) and have tested it in the car. Our middle seat is slightly raised and the car seat slides about when you go around corners / roundabouts whereas positioned behind the driver or passenger it stays securely in place.

We are due baby number 2 in December and it will be in a rear facing car seat with isofix base. Our car can have isofix in all 3 seats but not with another isofix seat directly next to it. So I either have to sell the car and buy something which allows 2 isofix seats side by side or move my eldest to a side seat.

Does anyone have any suggestions on remedies for travel sickness? If I’m being honest we haven’t tried any bands etc as we had no need – the solution was simply to move her into the middle seat. For safety we are going to have to put her in one of the side seats so I need to look at other remedies.

I’d welcome any advice!

Thanks x

Sarahj1590

Hi

I suffered badly with car sickness (and sometimes still do).

The reason it comes on with me is when I can't see where I'm travelling (so, looking at my phone, reading a book) so what you're saying about your daughter makes sense, as when she is behind a seat, I assume she is too small to see over it?

Anyway, the thing I found works is Joyrides. http://www.boots.com/en/Joy-Rides-Tablets-12-tablets_11587/

ganderson1804

Great thanks i'll look out for them next time i'm near a chemist! But yes you are exactly right, its because she can't see the road. She can't sit in the front seat of our car in her booster as the manufacturer advises against it so unfortunately that's not an option x

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

travel sick bands, Kwell's sickness tablets and something little to eat before hand (So if they are sick they actually throw something up other than bile)

bouicca21

As someone who also suffered from travel sickness as a child - and despite all those 'you will grow out of it' remarks, still does - the best solution is to be asleep or have your eyes closed. Being able to see the road helps but for me at least just made it possible to increase the distance before being sick. Smooth driving also helps ...

Investigate anything with ginger in it. Realistically it's a case of making frequent stops for fresh air and stomach settling.

REEN

Open windows and frequent stops. If you carry a sick bucket in the car keep it out of the poor child's sight! Some short journeys that are too short to make her queasy so she doesn't associate getting in the car with always being sick. When she can see out of the window, play I spy or something similar to keep her mind off it.

Long ago on a rough hovercraft crossing, the stewardess gave my son a cold, wet flannel to put on the back of his neck. That seemed to help. Wet wipes might do the trick.

You have my sympathy, all three of mine suffered, the dog as well!

gayleygoo

My daughter suffers it too. I made the mistake of buying her a magazine for a long car journey once! It might help to keep a small cushion or pillow in the car that she can put her head on if she starts o feel ill. Maybe some gingernuts or other ginger food could ease the discomfort.

My OH swears that sitting on a newspaper helps car sickness. But that's what he was told as a child so maybe it works in a mental kind of way, rather than being backed up by evidence!

And you probably already do this, but keep spare clothes in the car!

KiKi

Sit on the left, open window, mints to suck / eat - and cinnarizine tablets! You can get them without a prescription, and I've used them for a long time. Obviously you should check with your pharmacist or doctor before using them.

Don't read, don't play on an tablet or anything which takes your eyes off something in the distance. Being able to see things far away (hence she likes to be in the middle seat) tells your brain that not everything is moving, and gives you a stable 'something' to look at which is fixed. This significantly reduces the sense of motion sickness, so make sure she looks out of the window.

Poor thing - I was terribly car sick as a child. Apparently I once complained when I was about two, and my mum was really annoyed that we had to stop the car - then when she took me out of the car I threw up 4 or 5 times. She tells me now how awful she felt for telling me off, and took it seriously after that!!

I still get motion sick as an adult - and horrible car smells, strong smells or perfume or anything like that make it far, far worse. Mints really help me.

KiKi

Person_one

Have you tried out any other car seats? Is the new one you've bought returnable?

What about a non isofix one for the new baby?

LameWolf

I sympathise, as a lifelong travel sickness sufferer.

Does she like the taste of ginger? I find that helps no end - maybe a ginger biscuit before the start of the journey, as she's so little.

Ah, I see gayleygoo mentions this too.:o

I hope you can find a solution that works for the poor child.

ganderson1804

Hi everyone

Thanks for taking the time to reply. We can't even do a 5-10min car journey without her being sick at the moment if she can't see the road poor thing. She does tell us she's going to be sick and we have a stash of ziplock bags and wipes in the car, have found these best to tidy it up!

I will try travel bands and some of the over the counter remedies. A pack of ginger biscuits too.

I'd rather not change the car seat, it's a very good seat in terms of safety and comfort so I'd be reluctant. We're not in a position to change the car right at this moment in time either. Baby could go in with seat belt if required but I'd prefer isofix. Baby's seat aside her seat simply isn't safe in the middle so need to try something else. Another car seat would have to be much small to fit flat I think. Perhaps once she's heavier her weight will help keep it in place x