Car Sickness

SICKNESSCar

by Dr. Rebecca Butler (Lantana Resident), Board Certified in Pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics

Questions and calls regarding car and motion sickness have become a daily occurrence for us at Lantana Pediatrics. Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, many people are driving long distances to their vacation destinations, and parents are desperate for help with those children who often get sick while riding in the car. I hope some of these tips are helpful.

What causes motion sickness?

Motion sickness occurs when the brain receives conflicting signals from the motion-sensing parts of the body: the inner ears, the eyes, and nerves in the extremities. Under usual circumstances, all three areas respond to any motion. When the signals received by the ears, eyes, and extremities are different or inconsistent, the brain responds in a way that can make you sick. Think of sitting in a theater watching a fast moving or jerky motion picture. Your eyes are bouncing all over the screen trying to take in the information, while your inner ear and body are still. This can make you feel sick. The same thing can happen when a child is sitting low in the backseat of a car and cannot see outside of the car. Carsickness results from the

differing sensory inputs. If someone is looking at a stationary object within a vehicle, such as a magazine, their eyes will inform their brain that what they are viewing is not moving. Their If your child starts inner ears, however, will to develop the signs contradict this by sensing and symptoms of the motion of the vehicle. motion sickness, stop the car as soon The eyes mostly see what is inside of the car, which is motionless, while the inner as safely possible and ear senses motion as the get them out and vehicle goes around corners walk around. or over hills and even small bumps. Therefore, the effect is worse when looking down and may be lessened by looking outside of the vehicle, so the eyes and inner ear are sensing the same motion.

Signs and symptoms

Motion sickness usually starts with a vague feeling of stomach upset (queasiness), a cold sweat, fatigue, loss of appetite, and oftentimes, salivation. This usually progresses to vomiting. A young child may sensory conflict arising in the brain from not be able to describe queasiness but

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But what you can do until then?

If your child starts to develop the signs and symptoms of motion sickness, stop the car as soon as safely possible and get them out and walk around. You can also have them lie on their back for a few minutes with their eyes closed and a cool cloth on the forehead. If you are on a long car trip, you may have to make frequent short stops, but it will be worth it.

Some preventative measures:

• If your child has not eaten for three or more hours, give your child a light snack before the trip. This relieves hunger pangs, which seem to add to the symptoms.

• Try to focus their attention away from the queasy feeling. Listen to the radio, sing, or talk.

• Have them look at things outside the car, not at books, games, or movies.

Medications

If you are going on a trip, and your child has had motion sickness before, you might want to give medication ahead of time to prevent problems. Some of these medications are available without a prescription, but please consult with your pediatrician before using them. Although they can help, they often produce side effects such as drowsiness, dry mouth, and blurred vision.

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