Causes of motion sickness in children

Any type of transport can cause both adults and children to experience motion sickness. Symptoms of motion sickness can come on suddenly, progressing from discomfort to cold sweats, dizziness, and vomiting. Surely no one wants to experience this feeling.

Motion sickness is a condition that occurs when you are traveling by car, boat, plane or train. Your body's sensory organs send mixed messages to your brain, causing symptoms of dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, and vomiting.

Motion sickness is most common in children 2 - 12 years old, but it can occur at any age. Some children are more prone to motion sickness than others, possibly because their brain responses are more sensitive to movement.
Motion sickness can also happen when riding a boat, train or plane, especially if it's your child's first time riding them or moving vigorously. Motion sickness can even be triggered by swinging on the swing.
The good news is that most motion sickness in children tends to decrease as children get older.

Motion sickness occurs when a child's brain receives different messages from the body parts that perceive movement such as the eyes, inner ear, nerves, joints.
For example, if a child is looking at a toy or a book or comic book in a moving car, the child's eyes will send signals to the brain that the child is not moving. But other parts of the baby's body can sense that he's moving, so they send the opposite message. These conflicting signals make your baby feel nauseous.
The same thing can happen on an airplane that is taking off, landing, or shaking. Or on a boat sailing on the ocean. Stress or excitement can also make a child's motion sickness symptoms worse.

3.1. The role of the ears in motion sickness The organs inside our ears have a special role, in addition to helping us hear sounds, they also help control the body's sense of balance. They are part of a network called the vestibular system.
This system consists of three pairs of semicircular canals and two sacs known as ducts and canals. They send information to the brain about what's going on around you.
In semicircular canals there is a fluid that moves with the rotation of your head. These substances are gravity sensitive, they tell your brain whether you are standing up or sitting down.
3.2. The role of the brain in motion sickness Our brain takes in all the data and it comes together in a meaningful way. But sometimes your brain gets confusing signals.
For example, on an airplane, you feel like you're moving, but your eyes tell your brain that you don't seem to be moving at all. This confusion can cause nausea and even vomiting. After a long sea trip, you can stand still on hard ground but still feel like you are floating on the waves.

4.1. Tips to help children with motion sickness A child is suffering from motion sickness, the baby feels quite uncomfortable, you need to be patient, help the child reduce motion sickness by:
Be alert to the early signs of motion sickness. Children often present with cold sweats and loss of appetite before vomiting begins. When you detect these signs, try to stop the car if possible. You can pull over to the side of the road to let your child rest for a while. Lay your child down and place a cool cloth on his forehead. Your child's symptoms may subside within 15 minutes or so. When in the car, have your child look ahead at a point on the horizon. A distant object helps provide visual input that the child is moving. This will help deal with some of the chaotic messages being sent to the child's brain that cause motion sickness. Keep the air in the car cool. You can turn on a fan or air conditioner to gently blow on your baby, or open a window to let in some air. If you and your baby are on a boat, take your child to the deck. For a better ride in a large, two-row vehicle, keep your child fixed in the middle row instead of the back row, and for your child's safety, never leave them in the front. . In other means of transport, choose the front car of a train, the upper deck of a boat, towards the center; sit in the front row of the plane. Help your child sit where he can look out a window whenever possible. Distract children. Motion sickness can sometimes be a state of mind, so try singing or talking to your baby. However, you should not let your child look at books or play with toys, as these will make them more disoriented. Feed the children. Provide a snack for your child and you before the trip. Why should you have a snack before taking the train? That's because hunger can sometimes make nausea worse.

However, there is still debate on this, so pay attention to whether eating a little snack helps or hinders your child's trip. Then you'll know how to prepare for the future.
Try to schedule your trip around nap time, as then your child is less likely to get motion sickness if he falls asleep while on the move. Or you can encourage your child to sleep if he is tired. Keep your child's activity to a minimum. Try to keep your child as calm as possible, keeping his head still if possible. You can also try an anti-motion sickness bracelet, which is said to calm nausea by stimulating acupressure points on the wrist. However, scientific evidence proving the effectiveness of motion sickness wristbands is still lacking. But if you tell your child that this particular bracelet was made to keep him from getting motion sickness, he can do just that. If you've tried all of the above and your child is still vomiting, give them fluids to avoid dehydration caused by vomiting.

4.2. Natural remedies to help children fight motion sickness Some of the following natural remedies can help children fight motion sickness, including:
Fresh ginger: some scientific evidence shows that ginger is effective in combating sadness. vomit. In fact, ginger has long been used as a folk remedy to combat nausea. Peppermint: Eating mint is said to have a calming effect on the body, at least the scent of mint can help soothe a child's discomfort. Acupuncture and acupressure: Some people say that stimulating a spot just below the wrist helps relieve nausea. 4.3. Medicines children can take to prevent motion sickness For children 2 years of age and older, anti-nausea medications are available without a prescription. Some medications come in chewable and liquid forms that are easy to take. But check with your doctor before giving your child any medicine.
Some medications that can be used to combat motion sickness include:
Dimenhydrinate: This over-the-counter antihistamine is used to soothe allergies, it also helps with motion sickness. The first dose should be taken one hour before travel. If the trip is long, you can use the next dose, 4-6 hours apart. Scopolamine: this is an anti motion sickness patch behind the ear, you can use it 4 hours before traveling by train, plane or boat. One use lasts for about 3 days. Other medications include: Cyclizine (Marezine, Marzine, Emoquil), Meclizine (Antivert, Bonine), Promethazine (Phenadoz, Phenergan, Promethegan),..

Side effects of motion sickness medications may include:
Drowsiness or irritability; Dry mouth; Constipation; Blurred eyes. Motion sickness is a condition that makes children uncomfortable and tired, which in turn affects the quality of the trip. Try the above measures to help your child reduce the discomfort caused by motion sickness, making the trip more smooth.
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References: babycenter.com, healthline.com, webmd.com, mayoclinic.org