Has anyone solved severe car sickness in a child?

Posted by Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 265 comments

My kid is 5, and if he is in a car for more than 5 mins, he pukes. Every. Single. Time. He has some unrelated health / learning issues which means lots of appointments / travelling. I don't drive, and I can't put him in a taxi due to him vomiting and just this morning I have had to ring and cancel a hospital appointment because the first bus of the journey didn't turn up. He is fine on buses and trains, but we live semi-rural and the public transport is sparse and unreliable. So far I have tried: Kwells tablets (hyoscine hydrobromide); Avomine tablets (promethazine teoclate); travel sickness bands, travel sickness herbal patches (stick one behind the ear and one below your naval). Even using these altogether it works for 10 mins max, and he pukes again. GP said he is too young for any prescription stuff. People of the UK, (apart from leaving earlier for public transport which honestly sometimes isn't feasible) do you have any other ideas to solve this? Thanks!

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Message-Worldly@reddit

I get motion sickness a lot as kid,(car, boat, ship, sea, rollercoaster, ) i still do but i can tolerate it more now. What i do is look straight ahesd, dont look to the side, uo or down. It help if i had chips (salty kind) and cold drink, or anything carbonated as it helpes me burp. Now my 1 year baby is the same, and i cant actually tell him to look straight😅 he cant have any mentholated oil or candy is it really sucks for us.

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egualdade@reddit

Same, feeling trapped at home. 1 yr old suddenly car sick, wtf

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Message-Worldly@reddit

We bought this disposable vomit bag, and carry it everytime we leave the house. For long rides i just dress him "house clothes" and just change him when we arrive at the destination. Works for us, though it's a lot of work😂 he is 2 now and only vomits when there is traffic because of the brakes, (not sure how to explain this, english is not my first language - and i left my brain somewhere in our house clutter😂😂😂)

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Wheres_that_to@reddit

One of my siblings was this way inclined, Then my parents drove us all across the US, stopping in fifty states, just after Yellowstone, she stopped puking into the bucket. One day he will stop, until then just have good supply of bin liners to line the bucket, and clean up supplies.

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egualdade@reddit

Inclined?

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heretolurk24@reddit

We had this chain/strip of metal that clipped under the car and dragged along the road. Takes the static out apparently and it seemed to help might be worth a shot? Helped my partner when he was a kid and helped my kid a couple of years ago!

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egualdade@reddit

An y theories why it helped?

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efficacious_natural@reddit

Make sure his knees aren’t above his hips.

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egualdade@reddit

Can you explain?

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TheStatMan2@reddit

Could I please ask that if any of the recommendations work you please report back? I have similar issues with mine (although not as bad as yours by the sound of it!) so am always interested to hear what works for others.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

I will do. I've ordered a few things on amazon and I'm going to a bigger chemist tomorrow so will definitely report back once I have given them a whirl!

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egualdade@reddit

Updates?

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Alternative_Sky3823@reddit

I used to get really really car sick when I was younger. I liked sniffing a lemon whenever I started feeling sick.

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Ninjotoro@reddit

I used to get motion sickness as a kid if I was too engrossed with something in the car and didn't look outside: a book, a stuffed toy, a video game, whatever. For me it helped to look out the window at the horizon. The further the better. Not sure if that could help him.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

Thanks. I will try and have him look out of the window more. I agree that him looking at his books / ipad made it worse, so we put those away now.

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Missbhavin58@reddit

Speaking from when I suffered travel sickness as a five year old I was banned from reading in the car. It definitely made me feel worse if I was looking down and concentrating. My parents would also get me to travel on an empty stomach

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livvyxo@reddit

Same! My books were banned and I was only allowed plain toast. I hated those long car journeys, boredom is horrible for a kid.

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Missbhavin58@reddit

'Are we there yet?'

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livvyxo@reddit

Mum wouldn't let me ask cos every time I opened my mouth she pulled over out of fear

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livvyxo@reddit

My mum too tried everything but ultimately you can only try minimise the risk. No books/games consoles/screens under ANY circumstances.* Sit him in the front seat. Try make sure he's only had bland simple food to eat before a long journey. *even in my thirties if I'm reading something on my phone for too long during a car/bus ride I start to feel sick.

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Sparklypuppy05@reddit

Kids aren't meant to sit in the front seat until they're old enough/tall enough to not need a booster seat. Otherwise, they're likely to get killed if the airbags go off, either due to suffocation (they're smaller and the airbag will get smashed right into their face), or by the sheer force of the airbags. Back seat always.

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livvyxo@reddit

What the heck is a booster seat, this was the 90s :)

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a_peanut@reddit

The front window, not the side window. Have him pretend he's driving along the road and has to watch the road. If he can sit in the middle seat to see out, it might help. I'm an adult but I would also puke within 5 mins if trying to read in a car. I can't even be the navigator, I usually drive.

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ForsakenGarlic904@reddit

Middle seat is the only way. The worst as an adult is when you end up in someone else's car and can only sit in the back. So everyone offers to take the middle to be polite, because they think the middle seat is the worst, until eventually you have to explain that even though you really are a grown up you get car sick if you don't sit in the middle. And then, inevitably, you have to explain that yes, planes and boats as well and yes, swings when you were a kid too. All while staring fixedly at the horizon.

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a_peanut@reddit

Oh yeah. Don't worry guys, I actually volunteer for the middle seat. People find it even weirder when you're the only one in the back and you scoot into the middle. Don't worry mate, just trying to save your upholstery from my backwards breakfast.

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dick_schidt@reddit

There's your solution: have your kid do the driving.

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YchYFi@reddit

Yes I get car sick even now just looking at my phone. Wasn't allowed to do anything but look out the window as a child.

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InfamousEvening2@reddit

Looking at his books/ ipad/ anything is a sure way to get sick. Aside from the other good advice above, I used to get awful car/bus sickness as a kid, and one thing I used to do to keep my mind off it was sing to myself. I found that worked OK. It was easier if there was music on, but there didn't need to be.

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takhana@reddit

I’m amazed he even managed to look at them in the first place! I was terrible for travel sickness until about 14 years old, even at low speeds if I wasn’t looking into the distance I’d vomit. One Christmas I got bought a portable DVD player which I planned to use in the car (lol) and my parents hadn’t even got off our estate before I vommed everywhere. I was 11. Sorry to say but age, having the window cracked and looking into the horizon watching the movement were the only things that helped. Even focusing on street signs would set me off if I did it too long. Always having a vomit bag near me was essential!

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LateFlorey@reddit

I used to get bad car sickness as a child and even now as an adult, if I look at my phone too long I get nauseous. Definitely get rid of the tablets and books and get him looking out the window. Also, when I was pregnant, sucking on a boiled sweet whilst in the car helped.

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pastiesmash123@reddit

Yep looking out the front window can help. Apparently the reason we get car sick is because the movement of you body isn't contrasting with the movement of the outside world (ie, you're looking at stuff in the car that's moving at the same rate) So the reason you're sick is your body thinks it's been poisoned and trying to vomit up said poison.

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Fun-Anteater-3891@reddit

This is the way. Always try to keep them looking out of the front window, never down at a book etc. Definitely no screens. We have a few spotting games that we play that keeps eyes focused. 1) rainbow cars - find cars in the colours of the rainbow, in the right order. Play as a team or against each other, each taking a side of the road. 2) letter game - find the letters of the alphabet in the right order off registration plates of other vehicles. 3) silly sentences - pick the last three letters of a licence plate and make a silly sentence with them eg GFE Gigantic Flowery Elephants 4) car bingo - does need a list so only if there's an adult passenger - print off a list of things to find eg a bridge, 30 sign, McDonald's, sheep, etc. There are downloadable ones easily available. 5) memory game - I went to the shops and bought a .... 1st person says something starting with a eg apple, 2nd b so an apple and a boat, 3rd c so an apple, boat, coconut, and so on. 6) would you rather ... There's an app for this game so only good if you have an adult passenger 7) charades - needs a bit of prep and an adult passenger - have a bunch of slips of paper in a bag with names of kids films / songs on. Distract and refocus attention as much as you can. Only allow dry foods in the car and for breakfast before you travel, no milk/yoghurt/eggs and nothing greasy. Kids Kwells can be helpful. Open windows if you can and are not stuck in stationary traffic. On buses stay away from the exhaust smells if you can (not near the door). Avoid having anything strong smelling in the vehicle if you can (food, air fresheners, leather seats). To be honest the best solution is to get them into the front seat of a car as soon as they're big enough, but as you say that's not much use if you don't have a car. I hope some of this is helpful though.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

This is great advice, thanks!

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kathrynel1@reddit

This helped me. I had terrible motion sickness, and ensuring my eyes were above the horizon, along with Stugeron tablets helped. Also, travelling hungry made things worse, I make sure I have a decent meal at least an hour before travelling. Hopefully your little one will grow out of it.

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LittleSadRufus@reddit

My daughter gets car sick so we moved her car seat to the front seat and it's much easier for her to see the horizon. Adding to your list that heat is also a problem. We either keep the arircon on lower than we like, or crack some windows open. Cool fresh air really helps. And OP needs to think about their driving: no sudden acceleration or stops, no sudden turns off the wheel. Drive a little slower if needed, and be really gentle in manoeuvres. Plus try to avoid winding country lanes.

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littlepurplepanda@reddit

Yeah this gets me. I can’t read or go on my phone in the car without being sick

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Zestyclose-Use9011@reddit

This ^

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Eggy-Pebbs123@reddit

And opening the window/putting on aircon, making sure there's a cool breeze. If it's too hot, that also makes it worse!

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redditissocialism@reddit

Sometimes its the car a softer ride might be better

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nicefoodnstuff@reddit

Sit them in the front. No screens until motorway.

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BaldWithABeardTwitch@reddit

Ear defenders and even maybe a blindfold. Sounds dumb but you could make a game out of it.

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Northwest8@reddit

I’m in my thirties and I still get travel sickness especially on boats or certain smells in cars set me off. I also can’t sit backwards on a train. I don’t take anything, I just ride it out and countdown for when I’ll be getting off at the closest exit😅

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Crochet-panther@reddit

I’m glad it’s not just me! People act like I’m really weird but if a car has that new car smell I feel sick on one whiff, even if we’re not moving!

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Northwest8@reddit

Ha that’s me! I drive a Mercedes and I’m fine driving but as a passenger I get so sick because of the certain smells in those cars. My dad has a Mercedes too and it’s exactly the same!

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Radiant_Fondant_4097@reddit

A lot of responses already covered this, but ever since I've been little the only solution is to sit in the front passenger seat (Which for children is a big no no 😞) to completely avoid the building sensation of travel sickness (I also get rocked to sleep by the car on long trips though). Otherwise sitting in back it was a case of anti-sickness medication which has the side effect of totalling KO'ing you sleep, things got a little easier as I got older but the sensation never goes away.

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BobDude65@reddit

I used to get horrendous car sickness, never really could get it to go away. The only things I could do were avoid reading/phone and look out the window, or sleep through the car journey. Even if I couldn't fall asleep, I remember that resting my eyes stopped me from feeling sick. Whenever I was in the car with my nan she'd tell me to sit in the front seat, that helped, not sure why.

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ProfessionalBear8837@reddit

I was severely carsick as a child. The only solution is let them sit in the front and tell them to keep their gaze forward out the front window. Even a small child should cooperate cos noone likes feeling that sick.

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dnrad639@reddit

I had severe travel sickness as a child and my parents got these bands with a little pressure point on the each wrist. It may seem strange but they really worked. I did a coach journey and forgot them once and spewed everywhere. Any other time I traveled and wore them and i was fine.

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snarkforturtletime@reddit

Relax and look out the window at the horizon (rather than watching things go by, trying to read the names of shops etc) The wrist bands with beads that go on your acupressure points work really well for me. Ginger sweets or peppermint sweets. Poor little thing I suffered badly as a child and still do sometimes now at nearly 40.

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LivelyZebra@reddit

Sounds like some kind of claustrophobic thing if in bigger vehicles hes fine. He might feel confined and trapped? I know he's 5. But have you asked him?

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

He is autistic, and his speech is delayed so I can't have too much of a coherent conversation with him, but he always seems perfectly happy getting in and in the first few mins, will smile and chat in his own way, then just sort of gradually goes grey, then... bleeuuuegh!

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david_leaves@reddit

I'm autistic and have hypersensitive balance function or something; can't remember what the doctor called it. Is he scared of escalators? I can feel sick in small cars or ones with rough diesel engines. If you can get him to stare straight out the front window that might help, though might mean sitting him in the middle backseat.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

Yes he is scared of esclalators too! I will have a chat to his paediatrician when we see her next month. Thank you this is really useful info!

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david_leaves@reddit

Interesting, it definitely could be a factor. The test for it is quite complicated, specialist stuff. And I don't think there is a remedy for it; it's just how you perceive movement. But it's good information to know, to help figure out how to make life comfortable. If it is a factor then he'll still get used to stuff as he grows, obviously; but you might not catch him in the queues for Oblivion or Nemesis. When you pass your test, I'd maybe try to avoid using very small cars, and ones with rattly engines.

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Blue-flash@reddit

I wonder if this is something you can talk to an occupational therapist or physio about too? It’s possible that this is a sensory integration issue, which is more common in autism. They may be able to suggest something to help with proprioception development. Good luck - my eldest is nervous in cars precisely because he’s been a frequent vomiter, It’s rough on everyone.

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foxwithwifi@reddit

Motion sickness isn’t a claustrophobia issue it’s an inner ear issue. Trains/buses move in much more direct ways than a car would zipping through traffic. Seeing the horizon in a car is really key for motion sickness. I’ll feel sick if I’m reading even on my phone as a passenger and I’m guaranteed to feel extremely sick if I’m in the backseat (always have but not to the extent of vomiting) but I can read on buses and trains no problem.

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GenXer76@reddit

Yes! The horizon, or if the horizon is blocked, concentrate on looking at something that is far away.

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blondererer@reddit

I get travel sick in cars. For me it’s the motion and, I think, the engine. It may sound stupid but I’m much worse in something like a mondeo or an insignia, but other similar sized cars aren’t as bad. Buses can make me bad. It’s the vibration tied with the stopping and starting. I’m the same with cars, jolting, hills, stop starts all set me off.

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Euffy@reddit

I personally get car sickness in small vehicles but not bigger vehicles. For me at least, I don't feel trapped or claustrophobic. I just figured larger vehicles shudder less, have better suspension, etc.?

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david_leaves@reddit

Same... The geometry of a large car means it rides better. All else being equal, a small and large car hitting the same dip in the road, the chassis of the small car will tilt to a more extreme angle. Small car suspension has to be stiffer to keep it from tipping over on a corner. Add those facts together, large cars are way more comfy, even a basic model.

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Worm_slayer3000@reddit

I get travel sick if I am in the back of a car, if he isn't already in the front passenger seat then may be worth a try switching seats.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

I would try this, but it's difficult as I am not driving, and it probably wouldn't be appropriate to sit him in the front with a taxi driver. Hopefully when I pass my test this will solve the issue!

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Engineer_it_all@reddit

Does he have a booster seat for when riding in the taxi? I used to suffer a lot and it only got better by being able to see out the windows properly. Other option, the middle seat in the back so he can see out the front window

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

Yes I always bring the booster seat with me and carry it in a bag for life. It's a pain in the arse but better safe than sorry. I also have been sitting him in the middle seat. It makes no difference unfortunately.

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JanisIansChestHair@reddit

Not related but if you have the money at all it’s a mi-fold car seat is perfect for taxis and lots less hassle than a regular booster x

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

Thanks I hadn't heard of those! I will have a look.

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JanisIansChestHair@reddit

I have both the mi-fold & hi-fold. I was lucky enough to win them in a competition & hadn’t heard of them before, but they are great little seats.

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sideone@reddit

Came here to say the same, my travel sickness disappeared once my parents let me sit in the front.

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Tarot_Cat_Witch@reddit

Have you looked into travel sickness glasses? You can get some on Amazon for about £18. If he has sensory processing difficulties they might help him?

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SafeBarracuda5649@reddit

Lots of fluids an hour before. Plumps up the inner ear and helps stop the travel sickness.

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Conscious-Ball8373@reddit

No idea if the explanation is correct but I definitely feel travel sickness worse if I'm dehydrated.

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SafeBarracuda5649@reddit

No idea of the science behind it but I was told this by a pilot of many decades of a tiny tiny plane so I trust his advice lots.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

Thanks, I never thought of that. I will add it to the list.

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accuracyandprecision@reddit

Just to add to what others have said, I was a child/teen with easily triggered car sickness - one thing that did it for me was car air fresheners. The smell really made me feel sick, especially when you’re in a small, stuffy, hot moving vehicle - as others have said, crack the windows if possible - and when you get your own car, maybe avoid the air fresheners or spraying any sort of scent in there.

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toonlass91@reddit

I used to get bad travel sickness, generally the best thing was to close my eyes and breathe slowly but obv your son maybe too young for that. Look out of a front/rear window at the horizon generally helps. And I was always worse if I attempted to read in the car. It has improved with age and generally now I’m fine most of the time. Just to give you hope for the future

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S4mb741@reddit

I have seen ginger biscuits work miracles for sea sickness might be worth a shot.

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OkAttempt4752@reddit

Yeah, ginger biscuits/ginger tea/ginger ale work well for settling the stomach. I used to get very travel sick on planes, wasn't until a flight attendant who saw my sick bag offered me some ginger ale and told me that it works that I looked into it. Turns out that drinking orange juice (very acidic) every time was making my travel sickness way worse. I've never had a problem since and a big bottle of ginger ale comes with me every long car trip now too.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

Thanks. I never even thought of this despite using them myself in pregnancy. I will give them a go!

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ErmahgerdPerngwens@reddit

Make sure the biscuits contain actual ginger, a lot only have ginger flavouring. You can also get ginger capsules. :) - Hyperemesis Gravidarum sufferer

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

Thanks, that's a good point!

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Possiblyasmoker@reddit

I buy the hard boiled gin gins from holland and Barrett but they might be a choking risk for a 5 year old. But they work well for me

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alittleunlikely@reddit

There are soft versions from the same brand which might be better for small children

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thesunbeamslook@reddit

or ginger ale and plain crackers like saltines

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LadyCatTree@reddit

I get awful motion sickness and I find nibbling a dry cracker can be helpful. That and sipping a somewhat flat coke. The ideal scenario for me is taking a pill 30 minutes before I have to travel, only looking out the window, not talking too much, nibbling a cracker as mentioned, and staying cool. Getting too warm is a sure fire way to make things worse. I would say with the pills, I take Kwells and find they work really well but only because I’m also careful not to be whipping my head around, turning in my seat, looking at my phone, anything like that. I imagine it’s harder to get a five year old to sit still and not do anything for long periods!

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LondonLeather@reddit

I was about to say the same thing ginger helps

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Longjumping_Papaya_7@reddit

I suffer alot from motion sickness. As a young child and now still in my mid 30s. Havent found anything that really works, though the driving style does make a difference. Best is to look straight ahead and it helps if you know where you are going. What surprises me is that he doesnt get sick on busses. I get sick in every form of transportation unless its a bike or rollercoaster ( if it doesnt spin a lot at least).

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

In a car the stop / start motions feel more severe so maybe it's that? It seems to be the forward / backward motion that makes him sick. We always sit in the middle of the bus if that makes any difference!

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newtobitcoin111@reddit

If your kid doesn't already wear glasses and doesn't mind wearing them then you get get motion sickness glasses that seems to get good reviews

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Solid_Bake4577@reddit

Phenergan - absolutely nailed it for my boy. He got sick before we were off our estate. It does get better with time, rest assured. Another thing yo do is discourage watching tablets or phones - he ideally needs to be focusing on the horizon ahead.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

Thanks. I will grab some.

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Interesting_Buyer943@reddit

Give your kid a hug from me, lifelong car sickness sufferer. If I’m not driving I’m trying not to puke. On a boat when someone’s sick you give them the helm. Have you thought about giving him a job in the car? Give him something to hold and take care of, plastic vase of flowers with water in or something? Plate of jelly? Maybe that’s a terrible idea!

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

Plate of jelly made me laugh 😆 It's not a bad idea though I will have a think.

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useittilitbreaks@reddit

I would start by sitting him in the middle of the car (if he doesn't already) so he can see straight out through the windscreen, and periodically check on him to make sure he is. This may help ease the disassociation created between the vehicle moving but him otherwise just seeing the back of the seat when he looks forward. Looking out the side window used to make me worse when I was a kid, so maybe blanking that off with a blind, as well as the above is something to explore. Perhaps he is ok on the train because the motion is generally very smooth, once it has stopped accelerating/decelerating to or from a station you almost don't feel the movement.

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Hobbs16@reddit

blinds is the way.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

Yeah it is definitely the surging forward / pull back feeling from the car that does it. The more of that motion, the quicker he vomits.

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Prestigious_Carpet29@reddit

Can you drive with any more anticipation, allowing more distance to the car in front, more gentle acceleration and deceleration, care to take corners a bit slower? (Not to the extent of annoying other drivers, obviously)

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Idlezzz@reddit

Tried Dramamine?

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

I hadn't heard of Dramamine but just had a google and it looks like it isn't available in the UK? If you know where I can get some please let me know! And yes, I have tried giving him the other meds an hour / 2 hours before as well as 20 mins before, and it makes no difference.

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MissDeeMeanor@reddit

You can definitely buy it online in the UK, I use it myself as I have a vestibular problem and take Dramamine for dizziness. Bonine is the other one you can try, again you can get it online. I also have an EmeTerm bracelet - it applies a TENS type pulse to the vagus nerve, you were it like a watch on your left wrist. Not cheap though, around £100. Good luck.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

Thanks. I'm willing to try anything!

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MissDeeMeanor@reddit

It's really trial and error ☹️ I've tried so many things. The reason Dramamine works so well is it's an old school antihistamine we don't really use in the UK because it can make you drowsy. I've tried so many prescription drugs for nausea/vertigo/dizziness and nothing works. The EmeTerm band and bonine/Dramamine really helps me. Oh and you can get these chewy ginger sweets called Gins-Gins (Holland and Barrett or Amazon sell them), they are also great for settling stomachs. Hope you find a solution.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

Thank you so much this is really useful info

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Slyfoxuk@reddit

As a kid and adult looking down at a phone or book or whatever always gave me terrible motion sickness, if this is what they're doing then try having them look outside :)

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DameKumquat@reddit

Mine have, thankfully, mostly grown out of it (puking in triplicate meant we just didn't drive places for a few years - feasible in London...) For the one it was most of an issue: Not getting hot. So only 1 layer of clothes, and all the windows open. Sitting in the middle of the back seat, and encouraging him to shut his eyes. No music etc. Driving as smoothly as possible. Not eating for a couple hours beforehand, bland snack on arrival. And then get out for a change of air every half hour or so. By 8 he could at least say when he needed us to pull over sharpish so I think he only actually puked once or twice after that, on a verge, and by 11, meds worked for a 30 min drive.

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viotski@reddit

Not hot is so crucial, everytime I got sick on a car and train was because I was a bit warm

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

Great advice. Thank you!

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DrDoolz@reddit

I used to get car sick and I also liked to read. I used to put a white sheet over my head so I could read and not get sick in the car when I was young

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EmskiHammer@reddit

Ahhh travel sickness sucks, poor kiddo. I used to get it a lot in cars, the reason was likely because my mum didn't drive and when I did see my dad we never went in his car. So whenever I was in a car as a kid, it made me sick. Things that definitely helped were just being in cars more so I got used to it and sitting in the front where possible, the middle where not. I appreciate as a 5 year old both of those may be difficult due to car seats. Never looking at phones etc (although I'm old so that would have been a book in my case lol). I did use travel sickness bands but can see you've said you used those. I grew out of it by about 14. I know that's a long way off but it's a light at the end of the tunnel at least I hope!

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MitchellsTruck@reddit

I used to be like this when I was a kid. Then my Dad sold his Rover and bought a Nissan, and suddenly I was cured. Something about the smell of the car, with the wallowy suspension, I guess.

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hereforthecomments-_@reddit

The GP can contact a paediatrician and request he be prescribed something else, it can be done, you just have to explain everything else has been exhausted, you have literally tried everything and don’t take no for an answer. Otherwise if you haven’t tried it; having an empty stomach, looking out of the front window, breaks in the journey, ginger, contradicts the empty stomach but was also recommend trying ginger biscuits or anything ginger beforehand.

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No-Photograph3463@reddit

This may sound silly but has he only ever been sick in one car, or is it multiple different types (brand and model) that he has been sick in. When on holiday once my sister was car sick in the rental car, shes never been sick before or since but the back seats of this car (Seat Altea) were enough for her to be sick, and me to also not feel a million dollars after a long drive. She was fine in the front seat though.

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jesuseatsbees@reddit

Sounds silly but get him to move his feet. The brain knows it is moving but thinks something is wrong because feet are still. Would make sense why he's fine on the bus because he probably has room to swing his legs a little.

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rich_bown@reddit

I used to have severe travel sickness as a child and two things solved it 1. Sleep - I would try and sleep my way through it, not ideal for one as young as yours I appreciate but if naps are a thing for you, this may help. 2. Looking out the window, straight ahead, ideally sat in the front of the car. Play a game where he has to look forwards, we used to try and guess the next colour car to approach, or puck a colour and first one to see it, picks the next.

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HNot@reddit

I was that child! Things that stopped me puking as a child: - sitting in the front. - not reading. - looking out of the window. - not being too hot . - sucking a mint. - eating ginger biscuits. - facing forwards (I had a bad experience in a 7 seater car with rear facing seats). I still cannot read in cars or coaches.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

Thanks! I will try all of the above.

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Sparklypuppy05@reddit

Please don't seat him in the front seat. Kids aren't meant to sit in the front until they're old enough or tall enough to go without a booster seat. Otherwise, they're likely to get killed if the airbags go off. Try the back seat in the middle instead - he can still see out the front that way.

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Monkeylovesfood@reddit

I unfortunately was car sick till almost a teenager which is when I was allowed to sit in the front seat. My littlest is too. Having air con on icy helps most with mine but a few of the above do too. You kinda just have to just run with it unfortunately. A collapsible bucket lined with dog poo bags, a strong carrier bag and baby wipes every journey. Mine will at least puke in the bucket by themselves now rather than me sitting in the back watching them. You can get scented biodegradable poo bags so just replace and wipe often to keep down the smell.

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blondererer@reddit

I get worse if I look out of a side window, but as some others have said, facing forward and looking through the windscreen helps. Also, shutting my eyes/sleeping can help too, but once I start to feel nauseous, it’s too late.

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RepresentativeWin935@reddit

I haven't experienced actual physical travel sickness since I was 11, but looking out of the side window, even to this day makes me terribly nauseous. Which is really odd as I can read, scroll, watch films and navigate as a passenger now. Just can't look out of the side window for more then a few seconds. Always find it interesting how people can be so polar opposites with stuff like this!

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Several_Show937@reddit

I still struggle as an adult. Trick for me is window cracked for fresh air, cold bottle of water and looking out the window

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CarpeCyprinidae@reddit

Considered skipping breakfast until after the travel's done? Might help just to have less potential vomit onboard...

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A-is-for-Art@reddit

I used to have really bad motion sickness as a child. I still get it now as an adult but no where near as bad. Before travelling I remember my Dad would give me a travel sickness tablet, have spare clothes, wipes and a tub in case we couldn’t pull over. I’ve found ad I’ve gotten older that I can’t use my phone or read when travelling in a car. I need to look around at my surroundings.

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msmoth@reddit

I was the same for a long time as a child. Front seat or looking out of the window, forward facing (still get queasy if I have to go sideways or backwards on a hot bus. Lots of fresh air and generally staying cool. and then mints/sipping water/eating something sugary or salty. Eating slowly was important though, a bit at a time not smashing through a load of biscuits! Would also second the inner ear and eye testing, though, too.

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Easterncrane@reddit

Stugeron (Cinnarizine) are the only ones that work for me and my sister who are terribly car sick - she can read on those and I feel fine but wouldn’t push it with phone/book.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

I haven't tried that one. I will try a bigger chemist and find some. Thanks! .

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TodayOk1988@reddit

Stugeron is the only thing that helps me - I go from feeling sick on a park swing, to surviving a rough day on a cruise. Highly recommend!!

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Easterncrane@reddit

They always have it at Boots, you have to ask at the pharmacy desk for it though as it’s usually either behind the desk or in a locked cabinet

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dradoyu@reddit

Had this problem as a child until someone told me to look straight ahead and move my feet as if im walking. Its a bit weird but it was an instant cure. I still do it sometimes.

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Dr_Rapier@reddit

My kid would be fine in the front seat, if it's not your car though it might be tricky to arrange.

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johnnymeow2@reddit

I get travel sick in cars. Having the windows open with air flowing through always helps me massively. If I’m a passenger in a car I’ll have the window open even I’ve it’s really cold

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shannoouns@reddit

Second this. It's like your brain is confused about how you're moving, having air moving in the car and seeing the world moving past helps.

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johnnymeow2@reddit

It almost always makes me feel so much better. I don’t know why but it’s great, I never get car sick when I’m driving though, weird

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shannoouns@reddit

I have endo and I did get car sick driving at one point 😬 It was probably more the endo than the motion though but ut didn't help

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johnnymeow2@reddit

I’ve never had it driving. Water also helps me massively, especially cold water. It’s the only time I really love cold water 😂

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_mister_pink_@reddit

I was very car sick as a child. I eventually just grew out of it but I remember the thing that made it worse was the heat in the car. My parents used to either have the heat blasting or if it was hot out the windows would be up. They used to hate me being sick but also refused any requests to help me keep cool. I found that cracking a window and letting me breathe some fresh air helped a lot.

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Valuable-Wallaby-167@reddit

Not a magical cure but I used to have pretty bad motion sickness & still do to an extent, one thing that helps me is listening to music, specifically through headphones/earbuds. My completely non-scientifically backed theory is that the vibrations from the music help calm down the part of your inner ear that causes you to be travel sick. It also gives you something to focus on other than feeling awful. Fresh flowing air helps. Idk why but I'm always a lot more sick on the right side of vehicles than the left. In the front also, but he might be a bit young.

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Ollymid2@reddit

Coca Cola has a lot of ingredients of anti-motion sickness medication, when I worked on a boat we used to give people who were feeling queasy cans of coke to help them

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Flyawaylittlemonkey@reddit

No it doesn't.

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Ollymid2@reddit

Coke contains phosphoric acid and sugars, which are the same ingredients you’ll find in Emetrol, an over-the-counter anti-nausea medicine

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Flyawaylittlemonkey@reddit

Those are preservatives found in pretty much anything you find OTC. They have no active impact on nausea.

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Dankbudz69@reddit

What car do you drive? If the rear seat is average/small, the windows are small and/or is a diesel, these are all things that can trigger him especially if autistic.

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Dankbudz69@reddit

Encourage him to study and work in a field that allows WFH. I had it as a kid, it never goes away unless I’m driving. Buses & trains are even worse.

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cvdan@reddit

Like most others, I also used to get sick every single time I was in a car for more than 20 mins, especially in the back seat. The bigger fix for me was having my appendix removed...changed my world when I was younger and never knew I could actually be in a car for more than an hour and not throw up. Recommend seeing a doctor to see if maybe there's an inflamed appendix? Fairly young but who knows. I can still get sick if I focus on the wrong things and sit in the back but that gets fixed with an open window. I also never ever eat eggs in the morning if I know I will be in a car later and not driving myself...for whatever reason they always trigger my sickness. Good luck, hope you find your solution!

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em_uh_leigh@reddit

Motion sickness is usually related to poor sensory integration. When your body struggles to process vestibular input, you can use proprioceptive input to dampen the effect. Proprioceptive input is achieved through activating your muscles and joints. Many of the suggestions here are provide good proprioceptive input, e.g. sucking on sweets (sour sweets work really nicely) Some other suggestions - push feet into the chair in front - chair press ups - using a heavy toy, weighted jacket, or a beanbag (deep pressure is very regulating) Seeing an SI therapist could provide a more permanent solution, but in the mean time any activities that provide proprioceptive input will help counteract the vestibular input.

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Quietdiver1979@reddit

When I was young, I realized that reading or playing games caused me to be sick. The other thing was sitting in the back seat over the vibrations of the wheel. If I sat in the front and wasn’t allowed to read then I was much happier and didn’t vomit. Hopefully you find a solution!

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NkKouros@reddit

I always have and still do get motion sickness with 5-10 min if I'm texting, reading etc.. It was the same when I tried to play gameboy in the back of the car as a kid. I suspect your child has a similar issue (very common by the way). Maybe let them be bored at the back there to they have to look out/have their head up and looking up :)

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TrickIntroduction@reddit

This probably sounds ridiculous, but my nieces and nephews suffered badly from car sickness. It went away when they sat on newspapers. I was thinking it was bullshit when I was told, but my own eyes confirmed it.

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Ginger_Chris@reddit

Have you been to the opticians recently? My daughter has been wearing glasses since she was 12 months - but when she was 2 they got the prescription wrong and every car journey caused her to vomit everywhere. They corrected the prescription after a few months and she stopped. So it might be an eyesight issue? Maybe?

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

Thanks, I will make an appointment! He hasn't had an eye test apart from the one they have with the school nurse (which they said was fine), but that was a while ago. I will check it out.

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Jumponamonkey@reddit

Might be worth getting his ears checked as well, just in case there's a problem there causing problems!

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wildwinterchild@reddit

Ask them to check his '3D vision'. It's quite common for autistic people to have issues with binocular vision and it can cause these kinds of issues (as well as vertigo, clumsiness, etc.) and if I'm not mistaken, it can usually be corrected/improved when caught early.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

Thanks for the advice, it's appreciated!

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wildwinterchild@reddit

No worries! I'm an adult with ADHD and have binocular vision issues that have given me vertigo/made me nauseous in the past. I'm told old for it to be corrected permanently, but a change in prescription worked wonders!

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bizarrecoincidences@reddit

I second this - get his eyesight checked - my son’s travel sickness greatly improved once we got him glasses - we use stugeron on longer journeys just to be safe as he wants to play games etc on his phone and looking down then sets him off.

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Complete-Mess4054@reddit

That actually makes a lot of sense, as my sight got worse, I've had more travel sickness. It's far worse in a car than it is on a train but the bus through the long windy roads is like 'I am going to puke right now and it's going to be embarassing'. My Dad used to tell me to look out the window at the horizon, and sipping on a drink really helps, he has flavoured water on hand in his car and the second anyone says 'I feel travel sick', he'll hand you a bottle. Fizzy drinks especially I find help with nausea. I hate things like dr pepper but when I'm nauseous because of heat or travel sickness, the taste of ice cold coca cola with lemon is like nothing else. You might not want to give him sugary drinks every single time you go on a car journey, but squash with tonic water is great.

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ImProbablyAnIdiotOk@reddit

Do you have one of those engines that “shuts off” and starts back up again when you start to drive? My daughter never once had issues and then started getting car sick randomly. It was this.

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robotropolis@reddit

An empty stomach makes motion sickness much worse (I know it sounds counterintuitive but it’s true). Passenger seat yes. Also - try motion sickness bands (travel bands/sea bands). I agree the premise is ridiculous but I get motion and sea-sick and they do really seem to help, and they’re reasonably priced. They come in child size. As a child my mom dosed me to the eyeballs with dramamine with the added bonus of me passing out for most of the journey haha.

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_xDEADBEEF@reddit

i was that kid and i can still get motion sick if not careful. the root cause is a middle ear disorder (narrowed eustachian tube) but as a kid i figured out how to not get ill : always be looking out the window or asleep. i cant so much as read or look at my phone without starting to feel ill within a minute

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wolvesni13@reddit

Sounds ridiculous saying it out loud but I used to get car sickness a lot as a child, until my grandmother put newspaper down on the seat I was sitting in. Possibly just placebo effect I don’t know but it worked. If I was sat on newspaper I didn’t get sickness. Then it just seemed to stop altogether

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night-owl-02@reddit

Stugeron tablets worked wonders for me as a child. Even to this day i would still use them. Makes you feel a little drowsy though.

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wildcharmander1992@reddit

>Has anyone solved severe car sickness in a child? Yeah leave the child at home No in all seriousness I used to suffer badly from this, Keep the child talking, keep them distracted play ispy with things in the car not things outside, if possible cover the back windows so they can't see outside and things are a bit darker and more 'chill' Basically just do anything you can to distract them from the feeling of motion, if they can't see the world go bye and they are too busy having fun then they won't feel the effects as much

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BadWhippet@reddit

Being able to see the horizon out front all the time (looking out a side winow rarely helped me), the window part open for cool air, mints to suck, NOTHING to look at or read in the car will all possibly lengthen the time before it happens, but in my case (and my sisters) it was a childhood thing we slowly grew out of - never fully (I can very rarely feel nauseous even now I'm in my 50s), but it did become way less frequent in our teens. Some cars are worse than others too. I'm going back a few years now but I could never be a passenger in a Vauxhall Astra for longer than a few minutes (why???) yet a Peugeot or Ford seemed so much easier (I think partly because both those cars were a little roomier in the front, not so close to the dash). Cars with strong plasticky car smells are bad. Hot cabins are bad (keep it cool, air conditioned if you have it). Cars that roll into turns too badly are awful. Your driving technique can help too - slow braking, steady acceleration and definitely gentle on turn and cornering.

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Caustii@reddit

Yes I used to have this, but I think you build up tolerance in the long run and it’s fine then. I used to vomit after being in cars/planes/rollercoasters. Now I feel way better but there is still a limit that I can get to depending on many factors. But I am 100% sure my tolerance is way better than what it used to be.

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sarsar69@reddit

Sitting on a newspaper is what we use at school for coach trips. Always works!

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Prestigious_Carpet29@reddit

Definitely get him looking out of the window (front may be best) ... reading/looking down really brings on the nausea. Make sure the car is not too warm, and the air-con/ventillation is NOT set to re-circulate. Recirculation causes the CO2 levels to increase, which can cause drowsiness (hazard for driver) and can also cause nausea. As long as you're not on fast roads, having the window open a little can help. (It's too noisy and risks letting stone chips in on motorways, so don't do that)

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thesunbeamslook@reddit

Keep the little one looking out the window. Distractions can include singing and listening, but eyes need to be kept looking out the window. Ginger ale and/or sprite and plain crackers like saltines might also help.

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haushinkadaz@reddit

Our son would regularly throw up when he was younger on longer car journeys. Only way we managed to reduce the chances was by putting him in the front passenger seat if we were going on a long drive. Made a huge difference, he’s rarely sick now whilst in a car.

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Jellybean0811@reddit

This may not work for him, but I got motion sickness in my first pregnancy. The one and only thing that worked was peppermint tea. I didn’t even need to drink it, I carried the tea bags round with me everywhere, and just smelling them was enough. I’m almost certain people thought I was doing drugs on the bus! But the relief from the nausea was instant.

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ScotOfTheDay@reddit

I spent most of my childhood commuting by bus between my separated parents, I had what I would describe as chronic travel sickness. What helped me was listening to music, it's like it completely turned off my sickness. If I didn't have my earphones though, putting my hand out the window until it got cold would also distract me enough to not make me sick.

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Jdw5186@reddit

I'm visiting London from the States and had to ride as a passenger through Milton Keynes this week and all those roundabouts caused me to vomit twice That's when I discovered how great and easy it is to get nausea meds here too. Maybe give those a shot?

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I_Bin_Painting@reddit

Sitting in the front seat helped my brother a lot

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DrnkDionysus@reddit

I still get car sick now; a lot of others had said looking at the horizon and window open which always helps for me, the glasses are good as well. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is Benadryl which is the miracle cure, taking it 15 mins before the journey and I never get car sickness. It obviously can make you drowsy and I'm not sure if you can have it as a young child but worth a shot if it's safe.

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Exact-Professional82@reddit

Travel bands are the only ones that worked for me but I see you’ve tried that. We had ones that you could tighten, rather than just elasticated cuffs, have you tried those? These were the only ones that worked and I had to have them pretty tight and have the pressure ball in the right spot.

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Optimal_Whereas@reddit

I get severe travel sickness but I'm not a child. Has he tried sucking on mints or chewing gum whilst in the car? Or eating a thin slice of ginger before the journey (ginger is supposed to be really good for nausea)

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

We tried boiled sweets to suck but they didn't work, he just crunches them so that is probably why. He loves ginger biscuits though so I could try those! Thanks!

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ethicalviolence@reddit

Former travel sickness child (current travel sickness adult) peppermint gum and mint were the best for me. Eventually i did myself a favour and found travel sickness pills, i know your kid is young now but if it carries on like that - they're magic.

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Complete-Mess4054@reddit

If you're looking along those lines, ritz crackers are so good. After puking, eat salty ritz crackers and it makes everything feel a bit better. my mum used to say that mints/brushing your teeth helps as well because it gets that sicky taste out of your mouth. These crackers are like 80p I think and you get loads in the pack, definitely give them a go, I recommend it to everyone

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isthatpoisontoo@reddit

80p?! £1.25 in Tesco today. It the largest expense incurred by throwing up in the car, I'll grant you.

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EllieW47@reddit

I had really bad car sickness as a child and peppermint chewing gum was the only thing that stopped me vomiting. The child has to be old enough to understand that the need to keep chewing and not swallow though.

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Teedander@reddit

I found a very odd trick that works. Play songs he’s familiar with, especially repetitive pop music (via headphones if you don’t want to subject the whole car to it). I have a theory that if part of my brain is focused on the predictable music, it feels like it can ‘predict’ the movements of the car that make me feel ill. The other comments about looking out the window have it right too.

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missdolly23@reddit

Stick them in the front of the middle in the back. Middle seems to work better for us but front is good (just honestly more mess from the vomit when it misses the bag for some reason)

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MumblingMak@reddit

Have you tried the Nevasic app? Got me through the most horrendous morning sickness.

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First-Preparation-80@reddit

I had the same as a kid. Some things that always help, first fresh air, open the window a bit and let the temperature be cold instead of warm. Try eating an apple before but not bananas as these will always make you sick when you travel, some crackers or saltine are also good. Mints or polos are an absolute life saver it really helps with motion sickness and feeling fresh. I doubt he will like it because it’s spicy for a kid, but ginger candy will massively help with motion sickness. There are some special glasses with liquid on them that people say help.

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BaronSamedys@reddit

I had to lay down. Only way I could travel more than a few minutes. I'm still not a great passenger now. The waltzes are torture for me and merry-go-rounds can go fuck themselves.

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houdinis_ghost@reddit

Sit in the front and don’t look down for any reason. Stay focused out the window

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GoonishPython@reddit

I get travel sick far too easily so I know his pain! However I do travel a lot, including over very bumpy terrain in terrible vehicles, and as lots of travel sickness meds muck up your antimalarials, I've learnt ways to cope and at least not throw up, even if I feel rough. Firstly, do not let him do anything except look out the front window. It really helps with persuading the brain you're moving correctly! Music or a podcast or audio book to keep him entertained and help distract from feeling rough. Fresh air. Anything cooling (fan, ice pack). Siang pure oil red. It's a mixture of essential oils. You put it on your skin and basically makes your skin feel cold and the smell makes your head feel clear. I put a stripe on my forehead just above the eyebrows and then a stripe down my neck. From my understanding it makes your blood vessels and muscles relax so it helps stop the nausea and headache. If you can't find it, one of those headache sticks works in a pinch! I believe they work in the same way but the Siang oil is stronger? Chew stem ginger (or raw ginger but stem ginger tastes much better). Ginger is excellent for nausea. Sucking a boiled sweet or chewing gum - the movement of your jaw helps clear the ears, which is where the nausea comes from. (Why you can get dizzy when you have a bad cold!) Seabands work by putting pressure on a point on your wrist. I don't get on with them but lots of people find they help. And obviously try all the tablets to see if one works better, but I completely understand not wanting to give your kid meds too often! Good luck!

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Comfortable-Class576@reddit

Not sure if it is legal anymore but it used to help me as a child to sit in the front seat, also, as others have mentioned: no screens, books, iPads etc, just looking to the front and the window. As an adult I’ve noticed I do better if my stomach is empty. I hope something helps.

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danja@reddit

There's an episode of Mythbusters when they test motion sickness cures. Ginger came out very well (if not best, I forget). A little while ago I was on some medication that gave me car sickness-like nausea. So I tried nibbling crystallized ginger. It's not bad, like interesting candy. It helped a lot.

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kabbit4@reddit

It sounds silly but have you tried mints? Gum works fantastic for me. I used to get travel sickness alot as a kid and sometimes even now and it still helps. Also don't let him read book or watch things on the phone because that will probably make him feel more sick without realising it.

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captainhazreborn@reddit

Try him on some antihistamine tablets. I was terrible travelling well into adult hood and the only thing that worked were antihistamine patches.

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Will-Least@reddit

Yes left kid at home. Now no more travel sickness.

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Rafikira@reddit

Honestly, I have had terrible car sickness since being a child. I’ve found one of the only things that helps is slowly eating my way through a bag of nice n spicy niknaks…no idea why though, it just works!

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DarknessDesires@reddit

Have you seen the [motion sickness glasses](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Motion-Sickness-Glasses-Ultra-Light-Portable/dp/B0BQQX3V8B)? I know it sounds ridiculous but I’ve heard good things. I always used to get carsick when I was younger too. I found reading in any way (on a phone or book) would make me feel horrible. But closing my eyes and listening to music was alright.

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pharmapidge@reddit

Have you tried them travel sickness glasses that have the liquid spinning round? Being in the front seat is best but I’m not sure on the laws with having small children in the front seat?

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TyrannosauraRegina@reddit

My husband gets horrible travel sickness. He swears by kwells, but also looking out a window, having it slightly cracked open for a breeze, and listening to music with headphones - it’s partly an inner ear thing so having something “distracting” your ears helps. It’s still not 100% for him, especially on country roads, and his travel sickness was much much worse until his early teens. Another thing to consider is how far your appointment is to travel and if you might be able to cycle (with a trailer or large child seat)? If it’s too far to go the whole way perhaps to a station so you can use train instead of buses for part the journey would help?

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FarthestCough@reddit

Motion sickness wristbands used to work for me when I were wee.

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JammyIrony@reddit

I’m a primary school teacher and as weird as it sounds we have the carsick kids sit on a newspaper. Not to ‘catch’ anything, just so it crinkles under their butts. It genuinely seems to work - but this could just be the placebo affect as we kind of hype up ‘the newspaper trick’ to the kids who get carsick. Also sucking on ginger flavoured sweets (which also helped my pregnancy nausea FYI).

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cazchaos@reddit

The only thing that really helped my son was a hand held fan and cooling face spray. It wasn't foolproof but having air moving around him really helped especially if it's warm.

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Intrepid-Regret-7668@reddit

Sitting in the front, or looking out the front windscreen face on in middle seat, fresh air via open window and not air con. Fluids to drink. No reading or screens. Also sleep if that's an option. I still get travel sick in the back of cars, particularly on country roads but far less so on motorways.

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Raccoonathy@reddit

Cocculus 30c homeopathic. Thank me later

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Scotto6UK@reddit

I'm not gonna pry and ask about the health / learning issues, but are you certain they are unrelated? There are some links between some learning difficulties and a person's vestibular systems (balance / perception of motion).

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Ch3w84cc4@reddit

I struggled with sincere motion sickness but I found sitting in the front of the car or try a packet of mints.No science behind it, but that seemed to work for me.

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OrganizationOk5418@reddit

I would vomit every 5 minutes or so on the bus as a kid. Mum would go mad because we had to pay bus fare again and again. I never even got sea sick though. I grew out of it about age 10 if I remember.

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riderofrohanne@reddit

I had something called Tums when I was a kid for it, not sure if they’re still available. My mum still talks about how bad my travel sickness was and I’m 31 now 😅 Second about reading/looking at things inside the car. If I struggled with that I’d just close my eyes as much as possible. Air flow definitely helps too.

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obsidian_n@reddit

The main thing for me is air flow, I have to have the window on or AC on. Honestly the AC is never off in my car.

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usernameeeppp@reddit

Havent tried them bu there are people who loves these eyeglasses https://www.figureempire.com/products/motion-sickness-glasses?gclid=Cj0KCQjw4NujBhC5ARIsAF4Iv6f-rR68HNeqt-DiEuOPjgZKZNC8J_d-nbEvclFlvKeXbJSDfv_nUuYaAnE3EALw_wcB

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solsticefaerie@reddit

Phenergan (promethazine hydrochloride) or if he is close to being 6 I'd ask a GP about cyclizine. It's the only anti emetic that's worked on me, the only unfortunate thing is it tastes vile. I don't know if thats any good!

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Regular-mo@reddit

I used to have this as a child, I remember car air fresheners used to really set this off too. But going slower and having the window down helped. But smells in the car were a big reason I think not just the vibrations

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fishypolecat@reddit

Ginger biscuits/cookies or ginger tablets. Work better than any travel sickness pills.

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g9i4@reddit

I still feel queasy in the car and I had it bad as a child. I found listening to music through headphones made a world of difference.

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_ChiefBrody@reddit

https://farmaciarubino.net/en/over-the-counter-drugs/164-travelgum-10-chewable-gums.html this did me an absolute SOLID on a boat trip, also someone who gets car sick or feels nauseous from existing lol

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gurneyguy101@reddit

I get really really bad car sickness, the *only* thing that helps is to look out the window and never look at a phone/carseat/etc

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heungcheung1@reddit

“The best cure for sea sickness is to sit under a tree” - Spike Milligan

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heungcheung1@reddit

- sorry I know it’s not helpful, just a favourite quote.

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Supernewt@reddit

I suffered alot as a kid, window cracked and stating outside are what work. Absolutely no phone, reading or in car activities

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EmergencyToe3449@reddit

Phenergan ? All 3 of mine car sickness - projectile vomited - but suffered and cried as felt awful- GP prescribed this- sedative type tho so drowsy effects x

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ipdipdu@reddit

I always had severe motion sickness- cars, trains, boats, coaches would all make me vom as a child. As I got older I got better with trains, now as an adult on coaches I’m ok on motorways but any twisting and turning roads and I’ll be sick, still can’t stand boats, cars I can cope with if I’m sat in the front but even then I can still feel sick. For me the only thing that really helps is been the one to drive (makes me popular with my friends having a designated driver.) I’m afraid I never found a perfect solution, the bands were the most useless things. I find looking straight ahead, spotting something in the distance and watching it come towards me and then go past used to help. I can’t look at anything else- I’d be useless as a map reader. Listening to music also helps as it keeps me distracted and not thinking about feeling sick. Does your child feel ok when spinning around? I spin around more than once and I’m feeling ill, someone once told there’s something wrong with my ears and I should get them checked out. Which I didn’t do, just decided to never spin again, but maybe worth looking into if that’s the case for your child?

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rossco832@reddit

Is he looking at a phone/tablet/switch in the car? This makes my oldest car sick

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motherofcats4@reddit

My mum and dad kept mine and my sisters old potty in the back of the car for me. I couldn’t travel for more than 20 minutes without being sick. I was ok if I sat in the front, and in those days (early 80’s) you could. Without a seatbelt! I didn’t really grow out of it. I still avoid buses where I can. I’m better if I’m driving. I used to be given a map when I was sitting up front and told to navigate. I think having something to concentrate on, looking for road signs etc helped. No sort of travel pills worked for me. Starvation before long journeys was the norm. I hope you get sorted out for both of your sakes.

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drewP78@reddit

Ginger biscuits worked for my daughter

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Lemon_LostSock@reddit

As a child sitting in the front solved it for me,

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blwds@reddit

No clue if they work or not because it’s not a problem I have, but have you tried motion sickness glasses?

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Ipoopedinthefridge@reddit

My teenager has a set and she’s convinced they work!

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

No, I didn't even know they were a thing! Thank you I will find / order some now to try out.

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llynglas@reddit

Looking out of the window, sitting in the front seat, no books or electronics, window down, getting 8 years older.

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shannoouns@reddit

I still used to puke on public transport 🤣 Window open and get them to look outside. Books, screens and looking down make it worse. Also ginger sometimes helps.

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Eve-76@reddit

I got prescription from the doctor for my son and it was the only thing that worked . The gp was reluctant but I live in England my family were in Scotland

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Lumpyproletarian@reddit

Buy a little steering wheel and fix it between the front seats and seat him in the middle of the back. That way he can “drive” and watch the horizon, and he can turn the wheel and lean into the turns. Think Maggie and the beginning of the Simpsons.

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Intelligent_Glass_44@reddit

My kids used to get car sick. Looking out the window is definitely the answer.. however, NOT the side window. Tell them to look out the front windscreen, and look where we are going. Look at trucks, road signs, which way the road is going. Tell them.. ooh look we are going right here, is that the shop we are looking for? On the motorway, play a game of counting the speed camera signs. Or who can see the most signs in a journey. iPads, books, toys, generally looking down.. are a guaranteed way for them to feel sick. Hope that helps!

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smoppo@reddit

I was recently in a low down car (as an adult) and got badly motion sick for the first time in so many years. I suddenly put two and two together that when I'm higher up in the vehicle, I feel fine even when reading etc. I'm fairly sure that I must not have just 'grown out' of motion sickness from childhood but rather, I got taller with age. If there's any way you can safely improve the seating position, I'd say maybe give that a try. I think this is related to people describing the need to see the horizon.

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Sharks_and_Bones@reddit

I used to have it as a child-head was always in a book. No chocolate on the day of travel, that was guaranteed to end badly. Now I have mild gastroparesis and cannot do anything but look out of the window on any form of transport that isn't a plane. I even took stugeron to take a boat across a bay in the cayman islands. My only tips are no chocolate and to look out a forward facing window wherever possible, possibly with some medication as well.

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ProfessorYaffle1@reddit

I get travel sick and being able to see out and see the road helps a lot, also having a window open (even of it is chilly) . In taxis I find it can be worse and I think it's partly that the driver often has air fresheners etc which add to my nausea - having the window open can help with that as well helping in general. I've always found that cars with firmer suspension are actually better - I think it may be because what you see and what you feel are more consistent. It might be worth trying to find out if any of your local taxi companies have any minibus / people carrier type vehicles where he might be able to sit in the front with you sitting in the middle (if they have a bench front seat) or in the middle seat in the back but with a better forward view than in a normal car. THe ride might be closer to that of a bus as well. I agree with those saying try ginger - and also, if you can, maybe giving him a smaller meal to limit the effects if he is sick. CAn you book a cab but build in time for a couple of 5 minute stops during the journey?

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SaltPomegranate4@reddit

Are you sure the health / learning issues are unrelated?

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Crochet-panther@reddit

For me the only thing that really works is either ginger or spice, consumed in slow motion through the journey. For me spicy nik naks are the travel sickness king, one nik nak every couple of minutes, but if he’s not a fan of spicy stuff then ginger does work too. Plus not looking down, no reading or tablet time, just looking out of a window, ideally straight ahead but even a side window is better than nithing

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Crochet-panther@reddit

Oh, and also controlling your breathing really helps stop sickness, so singing helps weirdly as it makes you breathe more rhythmically. Possibly not an option depending on your taxi driver but a good round of karaoke might help

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Callum-H@reddit

Salt and vinegar flavoured snacks. I usually eat salt and vinegar walkers crisps when I start to feel sick. Something about the tangyness of the vinegar and sharp salt taste sorts it out

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SpartaGoose@reddit

We just stopped giving fluid food before travelling, just solid, that helped reduce the amount of sickness at least in our case.

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anabsentfriend@reddit

Sitting in the front helped me as a child. I still feel sick sitting in the back as a 52 year old

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Crazycatladyanddave@reddit

I get horrifically travel sick. I listen to audio books on headphones, make sure the car isn’t too warm and have a constant source of fresh air. I also don’t have fizzy drinks but sip water regularly and nibble on ginger biscuits or rich tea biscuits. I have also used a medicine called Biodramina- it’s a travel sickness tablet that I got in Spain and it’s the only thing I’ve ever found that’s helped.

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clobavate@reddit

Scopolamine patches (sold as Scopoderm) are the only thing that's ever worked for me. These are a genuine medical product, not a herbal remedy. None of the standard tablets, ginger, or nonsense bracelets were effective for me. My pal was on it from 11 years old, and whenever she forgot to put it on she'd vomit almost immediately when travelling. The patient info leaflet says it's not suitable for under 10s though - but worth bearing in mind if you still haven't found a solution in 5 years time!

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Glouise13@reddit

My dad used to get me to put a copper coin in my hand and sit on the hand it was in, definitely a placebo or old wives tale but it worked for me when I was little

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Maximum_Discount_486@reddit

Probably zero help but when I was a kid, I'd get horrible travel sickness. Especially on coaches going to see family, so my mum would take me up to the front and she'd have me count the dead rabbits on the motorway 🤨 But it worked! Maybe a focusing thing? Or maybe my family is just weird lol.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

I laughed at this more than I should've 😂 I will probably try counting something different!

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Maximum_Discount_486@reddit

Haha yes maybe road signs or something

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Several-Lunch-7303@reddit

Front seat, with a pretend steering wheel so he's looking out of the window, concentrating on the road and also driving along with you.

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Cyanopicacooki@reddit

You could try Ginger nuts - [I kid you not](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/motion-sickness/). Ginger is excellent\* for the digestion and a little ginger before travel can help, and ginger nuts are the most child acceptable version. \* I have severe IBD and had it recommended to help with my tummy upsets, it may be a placebo effect, but it definitely works for me.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

I'm adding gingerbread men to my next shop!

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Cyanopicacooki@reddit

Smart idea! Best of luck.

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No_Swimmer_5861@reddit

Sitting in the passenger seat always helped me with travel sickness rather than sitting in the back but considering he's full on vomiting within 5 mins it's probably more than that

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Hot_Success_7986@reddit

I grew out of it. When I had chemo, I used acupuncture anti sickness wrist bands that helped a lot. Peppermint and Peppermint scents. I had a puppy who couldn't travel more than 2 miles in the car without vomiting. Here's what we did Serve a meal daily in the car without it moving. You could do a snack and games. We did this for a week, and then we ran the engine whilst serving a meal no moving, we did this until he was really comfortable. We then did short journeys to the park for a month, gradually increasing the distance. The idea was to finish the journey before he felt sick even if we had to walk part of the journey. It took a few months, but eventually, we could travel without projectile vomiting. If there were any indicators for nausea we moved back to the previous stage. I hope you don't mind the dog treatment story for a child, but the dogs problem was sensory, and like a child couldn't be talked away. We also used skullcap and valerian tablets, but that would need a doctor qualified in herbalism for a child dose.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

I don't mind the dog treatment story at all! That's great advice, thank you!

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perro_abandonado@reddit

Air circulation and make it cold in the car. That’s the only thing that used to solve mine. Windows all open, air con whatever. Windows shut and stale air I would vom in ten minutes 🥲

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Jazzy0082@reddit

We use a combo of Kwells and those wristbands with the pressure point on our 7 year old and they seem to work.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit (OP)

Oh dear, I can't imagine the dog at it too!

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JanisIansChestHair@reddit

I have to keep telling my kids to look out of the window, or else they will puke.

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pintperson@reddit

My dog has severe car sickness. I rarely have to take him anywhere in the car, but when I do I just don’t feed him anything for 12 hours, and then give him a monster meal when we get back.

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Front_Pepper_360@reddit

Have you tried travel sickness bands.

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KickIcy9893@reddit

I have ginger capsules from Holland and Barrett that help me (like long car sicker). I think you can get something similar from boots. They're great because they're non drowsy. Only thing is the specific ones I have are quite big so might be tricky for a little one to swallow.

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frogsallover@reddit

Plan b?

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qwert5678899@reddit

We used ginger snaps and a small hand held fan for our 5yr old.

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Johnybhoy@reddit

My only experience with motion sickness is via VR gaming and I've heard ginger mentioned alot.

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whatkebab@reddit

Have you tried putting him in the front seat? I have a relative who is always car sick in the back seat, but not in the front.

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omgbaobunstho@reddit

Constantly eating helps.

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360Saturn@reddit

Chewing gum, and leave the window open. Also to move his feet. I read a thing a while ago that said some car sickness is the body's natural reaction to knowing it's in motion while not moving any limbs to create that motion - it assumes it's been poisoned and so goes into 'expel' mode to try and fix the situation. So creating motion is meant to help with it.

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