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Is it motion sickness?
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In the past, my 10 yr old has had some motion sickness maybe around 5 times over the years. We had to move him to the middle of the seat in the van which seems to help. For the past several months, he has complained about doing things in the van. He says he can’t read or look at doing something due to headaches and eyeaches while riding. He says it is only when riding that this happens. Which is a bummer because we travel so very much!! We go on lots of short trips, field trips, vacation spots, and trips to see family.
I just tried to search online about motion sickness..some list headaches but not all. So is this a type of car sickness? And if your kids have it. or you, what do you do naturally to help? And I wonder why the sickness has changed to headaches/eyepain??
Thanks! 🙂
I cannot ever read in a car or look at stuff that requires lots of concentration. I get motion sickness and eyestrain/headaches. I’ve even been known to get motion sickness when I drive. How ridiculous is that?
While I still don’t read in the car, I no longer get motion sickness at all ever. I wear a wristwatch like device called the Relief Band that sends small electrical impulses (shocks) into my hand and somehow resets that tummy rhythm. I bought it when I was expecting #4 and wore it from the time I woke until I went to bed for 5 months straight. IT IS AWESOME!!!!!! It was pricey, but so worth it for me. I wear it anytime I’m going to be in the car longer than 30 minutes and on all other forms of travel and I do not get sick any more.
The only natural remedy that ever helped me a bit was crushing and sniffing fresh lemongrass once when I was in Dominica without my bracelet. I was still a little queasy, but it did help.
Christie
My 10YO son used to get carsick. He hasn’t in several years. I second Bethann to a) have his vision checked and b). to tell him to not read/look down while in the car.
I suspect it is motion sickness since you said moving him to middle of the van really helped. Another thing he can do is look straight ahead, never out the side windows, and try to look at the horizon line (invisible of course but you can explain it if he isn’t sure exactly where–hey, a math lesson!).
My son can now read in the car as long as it isn’t early morning. And yes, he will get the headaches with motion sickness and unfortunately he used to vomit as well. That hasn’t happened in a long time.
Another thing that helps him and our 12YO son, who does still get carsick sometimes, is to have a high carb snack at the ready. I don’t know what it is but this always helps. If they are eating, they never actually get sick, and carbs work best. HTH
Christie, how awful to feel that way while driving!! I will check that Relief Band.
I have not had his vision checked..ever..how bad is that?? I didn’t relate that cause he never complains but in the van. I do need to do this!!
He has thrown up in the past but seems to have gotten over that issue long ago..now has moved on to this type of motion sickness of the head and eyes and not feeling good in general.
LDIMom, anywhere we can fit a math lesson..that would be a good idea! LOL!
He LOVES to read and I hate that this has made him not able to do anything but look out. Not that we all “Have” to do something when riding..BUT it does make time go by faster! We will be traveling to Florida in December…so maybe need to rethink on leaving extra early in the morning when one feels like just resting!
Thanks for the advice! Any other suggestions??
We’ve never tried this b/c my dc are younger and get choked more easily, but a friend told us that eating an apple while riding prevents motion sickness. I do have my children wear sunglasses on bright days b/c we drive through wooded areas and all the flashing of light and shadows seems to make them sick faster, especially if they are looking out side windows instead of the front.
Yes, the headaches and eyestrain can definately be motion sickness. I still get headaches and eyestrain in the car, though not every time. Sometimes I can read and sometimes I can’t.
When I was a kid we found that sucking on a mint can help prevent/relieve motion sickness. It also helps with other headaches and upset stomach for me.
Oh yes, sucking on hard candies if you allow those can really help too. Ginger ale and/or ginger crackers/cookies can help some. Ginger is a natural tummy aid.
@2flowerboys, what about audiobooks? We use those a lot on long trips. We don’t have a TV in our van b/c we just never went there, but anyway the audiobooks would allow your son to do something but not require him to read with his eyes. You could encourage him to imagine the story in his mind.
There are quite a few car games too out there: looking for license plates comes to mind. Generally this would work b/c you are looking ahead at the cars/vehicles in front of you.
Another fun one is to say whoever spots the first red car wins and gets to choose the next color. We have played this for upwards of half an hour before the children tire of it. Even our older ones get into the spirit of friendly competition. Sometimes we add harder twists like red Ford or blue Chevy or green truck. You get the idea. Again, encourage him to look ahead (which he could look on opposiste side of highway if divided just more through the front than out the side windows).
I know there are others I’m not thinking of at the moment. Of course these aren’t as quiet as reading LOL.
Did I mention we just got back a little more than a week ago from a trip to VA and DC and back again? We traveled 11.5 hours straight on the way home with just one stop for about an hour and another 10-minute potty break. Thankfully, it got dark and then they all fell asleep (and me too). My DH drove the whole way bless his heart!
Audiobooks would be great!! My dh says they put him to sleep!! 🙁 Don’t want him to fall asleep at the wheel!!! We don’t have ipods..so may have to beg hubby to let us play at least one! However, we do play praise music, hymns, and Casting Crowns to pass the time. And we do play the alphabet game! I will have to include the color game as well!
11.5 hrs is so long w/ just one and a half stops! 🙂 Nice to have them go to sleep though!
Okay, so hard candy..he hasn’t had that before..so that would be a treat..I mean he has had a few suckers in his life but not other hard candies! And I will try ginger ale..I know that is good for tummy..just haven’t thought of it cause my kids don’t drink any carbonated sodas so that will be a first!! BUT..that might add to those potty breaks 🙂
I fogot all about this issue and went shopping this wkd. Lifeway had on clearance some specaial car trip activity book so I got 2…to my dismay my ds said ..oh, I can’t do that! 🙁 It is somewhat new to me still he used to read in the car…he couldn’t for a long time but still did some. So now he cannot at all!!!
No advice on the cure, although we use distractions to help us. I also find that driving helps me – I think it is because I am hanging onto the wheel. But here are a couple of ideas we use:
My mom plays this with my kiddos – make a list of things to see on our trips together with the kids – a yellow car, 5 dogs, a red tractor, a convertable, a horse, (dead possum or armadillo, anyone? lol) etc. It diverts my dd’s attention and is fun for everyone. Maybe you could break that into other sorts of things in small amounts of time.
Something else that we like is counting the license plates on the cars and seeing how many different ones we can.
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