How to Help a Carsick Child

Making Your Child More Comfortable

1. How to Help a Carsick Child Picture 1
   Let your child get out of the car and lie down. If your child is feeling very carsick, take the nearest exit and pull over (where it is safe to do so) and allow your child to get out of the car. Have your child lie down; some people find that lying down can help them to stop feeling carsick.

   1. If your child vomits, give your child plenty of cold water after his nausea has passed.
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   Open the window to get some fresh air into the car. Rolling down the window and letting some fresh air in may help your child to feel refreshed. Having the wind blow on his face may also help your child to stop thinking about how ill he feels.

   1. In addition to opening the window, you should avoid wearing cologne, smoking or carrying food with a strong odor while driving if you have a child who gets carsick easily. These items can make the air feel stuffy, which in turn can make your child feel more sick.
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   Move your child so that he is sitting towards the front of the car. If your child is carsick and sitting in the back of the car, move your child up to the middle section of the car, or the front of the car if he is old enough to sit up front. Cars are more unstable in the back, which means that when you take a turn, anyone sitting in the back of the car will be more affected by the turn.

   1. In addition to this exaggerated movement of the back of the car, sitting in the far back may reduce your child's interaction with the rest of the family. When your child has nothing to distract him, he may feel carsick more easily.
   2. Do not let your child sit backwards or sideways; he should sit facing the direction that the car is moving in.
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   Elevate your child's seat. When your child sits up higher, he can see out of the car's window more easily. Looking out the window, especially if the window is rolled down a little bit, can help to distract your child from his illness.

   1. Have your child look out the window rather than giving your child a book to read as a distraction. Reading in the car can lead to car sickness very quickly. Staring down at a page while the car is in motion can overload your child's senses, in turn making him feel more sick.
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5. Distract your child by playing games or talking to him. If you cannot stop to let your child rest for a moment, try to distract your child from how sick he is feeling. You can distract your child in a variety of ways. Some of these ways include:

   1. Playing eye-spy with your child, or other games where he has to look out the window. Another idea is to have your child count the number of animals, birds, or trees that he sees.
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   2. Talking to your child and asking him questions. Ask him questions about what he likes, or tell him about what you are all going to do when you get to your destination.
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   3. Play your child's favorite music and have him sing along.
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   Try to drive as smoothly as possible. If your child is only moderately carsick, do everything that you can to drive smoothly so that he does not become more carsick.

   1. Try to take turns slowly, and avoid potholes and bumps when you can.
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   Carry an extra set of clothes if your child is prone to carsickness. If your child tends to get sick and vomit, try to be prepared for this by keeping an extra set of clothes for your child in your car. Changing into a fresh set of clothes after he vomits can help to make your child feel more comfortable.

   1. You should also carry wet wipes or a towel, and bags for your child to throw up into.
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8. Give your child dimenhydrinate. This drug is used to treat the symptoms of motion sickness. It can be given to children who are two years old or older. Read the label for the proper dosage. The usual dosage is^[1]:

   1. 2 to 6 year olds: Give your child 12.5 to 25 mg of dimenhydrinate by mouth every 6 to 8 hours. Do not exceed 75 mg in 24 hours.^[2]
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   2. 6 to 12 year olds: Give your child 25 to 50 mg by mouth every 6 to 8 hours. Do not give your child more than 150 mg in 24 hours.^[3]
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   3. Children 12 years old and above: Give your child 25 to 100 mg every 4 to 6 hours. Do not exceed 400 mg a day.^[4]
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   Seek medical help if your child is still experiencing motion sickness long after he has gotten out of the car. If your child is no longer in the car, and has not been in the car for several hours, but is still showing symptoms of motion sickness, you should seek medical help.^[5]

   1. In particular, if your child is having difficulty seeing, hearing, talking, walking, or has an extreme headache, you should seek medical help right away. Your child might have an underlying condition that is causing these symptoms.
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    Know what symptoms to look for if your child can't express himself. Very young children might have a hard time expressing what they are feeling. If your child is prone to car sickness, look for the following symptoms:

    1. Pale skin.
    2. Yawning frequently.
    3. Sweating excessively.
    4. Irritable or restless behaviors.