• Recently my six year old has begun to get car sick. It happened gradually. Once in a blue moon she would feel queasy. Then it became more common. All of a sudden it was nearly every time we got into the car. No matter how short or long the drive. My husband and I have become experts at cleaning up the mess. Not fun!

    What is car sickness anyway? Well, it is motion sickness which happens when the body senses movement, but the eyes don’t see it. When that happens, you get nauseous, and eventually vomit.

    The good news is that if your child is old enough to tell you that their stomach hurts then you have some time to fix the situation before you get to the vomit stage.

    That means no reading, movies, or video games in the car. At least for a while

    First and foremost, encourage your child to look outside of the car. Looking out the window will allow the eyes to see the movement that the body feels. That means no reading, movies, or video games in the car. At least for a while.

    We keep crackers in the car near my daughter’s seat so she can slowly munch when she feels the need. Saltines and graham crackers work great for this. You want something fairly bland, but also one that your child enjoys.

    A hot and stuffy car will always make it worse. Try turning on cold air, or opening a window. You don’t have to open it completely, just enough to get some fresh air on your child’s face.

    Another good thing to do is stop the car. I know that stopping is not always an option, but when it is, do it! Nothing fixes the sensation like the car stopping and a quick stretch of the legs.

    When you know that frequent stopping is not really an option you can check with your pediatrician for recommended medicines. Most medicines available are preventative so you generally have to plan before your trip as it may take some time to enter their system. Some people can get nauseous from seeing others puke. If they’re miserable, you can be certain that others in the car will be adversely affected as well!