Motion sickness is not a pathology, but a normal reaction of the body to unfamiliar movements. Children between the ages of two and twelve are more susceptible to motion sickness. Pediatrician Vyacheslav Fetiskin told mel.fm that the symptoms of motion sickness can be alleviated, and there are three groups of methods for this: physical, psychological, and medicinal. Read about how to reduce a child’s discomfort during travel without using drugs in the overview on aif.ru.
What are the physical ways to combat motion sickness?
To ease a child’s condition while traveling, teach them to look not out the side window, where different objects flash by and the picture changes quickly, but straight ahead and into the distance. Don’t entertain them with books, movies, or tablet games on the way—there are many other ways to pass the time, such as the game “Cities” or “Associations.”
It is important to provide comfortable conditions in the car: create a supply of fresh air; do not use car air fresheners with a strong scent, and passengers should avoid strong perfumes.
The child’s clothing should be loose and not restrict movement, allowing them to breathe freely.
Eating—this issue should be resolved before the trip: you can offer the child a little food, and only light snacks on the road. By the way, such snacks, sucking on lollipops, or drinking liquid through a straw help the little passenger relax and distract.
What are the psychological ways to combat motion sickness?
The two main tasks of a parent during the trip are to tell the child how you will act if they get motion sick and to distract them from troubling symptoms. To solve the first task, explain to the child that they can always go out and breathe fresh air, and that in case of an unforeseen situation, they can always rely on you. To solve the second task, have a supply of games in your mind where the child will guess or come up with answers. As a distracting maneuver, you can ask the passenger to think about something or dream.
Fetiskin emphasizes that you cannot attach great importance to the symptoms of motion sickness, but you also cannot completely ignore them, or worse, scold the child for them. It is also important for the parent themself to be mentally prepared to help the little person cope with nausea or vomiting, if necessary.