One Year Old Gets Car Sick

I too still get and got car sick as child, definitely not fun! Open the window a bit to let fresh air in and keep the stomach full. Lemon and ginger scents always help too.

definitely not too young. My daughter started to get sick just after she turned 1. it's awful.. we're still trying to figure out what to do to help. I have noticed that an empty stomach works the best for us or one with very little in it. I have gotten the suggestion of using Seabands I havent used them yet so I cant say if they work or not for us but others have sworn by them.

Is he "reading" or otherwise having his eyes focus on something (toy, game, etc.) while you're driving? If so, keep his hands free so his eyes focus on the road, the scenery, etc. I have heard that having your eyes solely focused on the mtion of the car instead of trying to tell your brain the ignore the peripheral movement info your eyes are sending is helpful. Maybe related to the advice they give for sea sickness; which is to look across the water and focus on the horizon?

I have never had a child get car sick so I don't have any experience in this matter. However today when I was thumbing thru my One Step Ahead magazine I saw a product they are selling...Motion Sickness Relief Bands. They are stretchy wristbands that utilize acupressure. The cost wasn't too bad...$8.95 for a pair plus shipping.
They say they are clinically tested, doctor recommended and FDA approved. Might be worth giving them a try. No drugs involved....
Good luck...

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

Renee

No, it's not too early for your son to experience car sickness. One of my earliest memories is vomiting while in my carseat because of car sickness!

Get him to look forward and and out the windows, preferably the windshield. Do NOT have him watch a video or look at a book, or stare down at a toy. Car sickness can be triggered or worsens when "what your eyes see don't match what your body feels". So what that means is, if he's reading a book, the book is stable, but his body is moving.

I think having a little something in his stomach is best. Ginger *anything* helps with nausea. Give him ginger ale or cool ginger tea in his sippy cup, and/or even a gingersnap cookie to eat.

There are also medicines (herbal and conventional) out there if this becomes debilitating.

Good luck!

Did you recently turn him forward facing? That might be the problem. Kids are generally more comfy rear facing... their legs don't dangle and they are more contained and secure. He could just feel a bit 'out there' if he's newly forward facing. Of course I'm an advocate for extended rear facing, so it he's having this problem after being newly turned forward, then turn him back. Convertible carseats will hold a child rear facing to 33 or 35lbs, depending on model. My boys both rode rear facing until almost 2 when they hit 33lbs.

What helped me as a child was to sit with the window cracked open. The fresh air helped to keep my stomach from getting upset but whenever the window would get closed, it would start up again and I would get sick. Keep a bag or something on hand for him when he does get sick. My mom used to put a kitchen sized garbage bag inside of a paper sack because the paper sack made it sturdier to use and the garbage bag was easy to clean up...just throw it away. Make sure he has a little something in his stomach to throw up if he needs to because dry heaves are the worst. And yes, I kept the window cracked even in the winter. I remember being cold but even to me it was preferable to feeling sick and the fresh air helped quite a bit. When I was old enough, I would sit with my face against the window and my head tilted up to 'catch' the fresh air as it came in. Good luck!

I suggest trying to have him eat at least a little somthing. My son at age 4 went through this. It happened just out of no where. He had never had the problem before. I started making sure he eat something before we left for a ride and it has now stopped. Even if he only eats a few crackers, he doesn't get motion sickness. Hope this helps.

I too wondered if you recently turned him forward-facing. And I agree with a PP that an empty stomach makes it much worse. I can't ride in the car on an empty stomach.

C.,
Totally possible!
If he is old enough, turn his carseat facing forward so he can see out. Center is best for the clearest view of the road straight ahead. (Side windows can make it worse). I found, for myself over the years, that dairy products (like milk, yogurt & ice cream)also make car-sickness tendancies worse. A cool breeze when he is starting to get queasy helps quite a bit - but you may have to just stop the car and let him get out for a couple of minutes. That is, if you can see it coming!
Good luck.

This happened with our daughter when she was 2. We gave her dramamine--but I'm not sure if a one-year-old can have that? Hers was a problem for about a year and then it went away.

Good luck-
N.

i still get carsick unless i sit in the front seat
if you can, put him in the middle in the back so he can look forward more than he looks to the side. it really helps to be looking where you are going instead of whats going by. makes my eyes hurt...
also, try either to have no scent in the car, or very subdued, very calm scent. i cant stand car fresheners, but ive found that ONE under a seat or car mat (as long as its not strong) is ok. in the summer, i would just open a window to get fresh air in the car, that helps a sick stomach.

dont expect him to be able to read, watch movies, play games or anything like that in the car. i cant and though i really get frustrated sometimes, i would rather look out the window and 'be bored' than get sick.

they have bracelets, one company is one step ahead - have little wrist things that have a spot on it that can be placed on the inside of the wrist... like a pressure point. its sposed to help, and i found it helped me when i used it a few times as a kid.

empty stomach is not exactly best, i get carsick if i havent eaten, or if i have just eaten. try some gum (depending on your child's age) or some ... altoids? i dont know much about them cuz i dont like them, but if your child is old enough ? or some sort of simple candy. make sure hes not too warm or cold in the car, warm air makes me have a hard time breathing even....
crackers, simple soda crackers, or cheerios.

good luck. chances are this wont ever go away, but somehow we learn to deal.

When my daughter was 4 years old, we went on a cruise. After a long drive to the cruise ship and before the ship even sailed she vomited and then slept for 36 hours and wouldn't wake up. It finally occurred to us she was motion sick. The ship doctor gave us a bottle of "anti-nausea liquid". Our daughter was so lethargic, we had to pour a spoonful down her while sleeping. The results were immediate. She sat up bright eyed and said, "Where's the swim pool? I want to go swimming!" Anytime she started getting sleepy or lethargic the rest of the vacation, all we had to do was give her a nip of the anti-nausea liquid. On another cruise, I was feeling a little sea sick and it does work like magic! Now we take it with us anytime we travel. I believe it is safe for any age, as it is just a sugar water, and it's cheap. Should be able to find generic or store brand at any pharmacy.

My son had this same problem....OK....he still does and he is 8! It took several experiences to finally realize that MILK was the trigger for him. Any amount of Milk before he got in the car or even school bus would trigger car sickness for him. Also, when his spring and fall allergies are bad and his sinuses are draining he has a terrible time riding the school bus! In Kindergarten the he'd get sick a lot when he'd get off the bus at school. It took forever for the school nurse to understand that it wasn't a virus, just motion sickness combined with sinus drainage! He takes allergy meds now and that has really helped with his allergy motion sickness, but to this day, no milk at least 4 hours before we travel.

i would give him a little snack in the morning to see if that helps. i get car sick if i sit in the back seat of a car for to long. i cant look out windows and i have to have something in my stomach to help. an empty stomach makes it much worse. you could contact your pediatrician to and see if there is anything for kids to take to help since he seems to get sick after such a short period of time. good luck. mabye something lite in his tummy will help though.