My son suffers from motion sickness

There motion sickness (the medical term that indicates the sense of nausea felt in a means of transport) includes all those ailments that affect a person while traveling by car, train, plane or boat. Our balance center, located in the inner ear, has difficulty managing being stationary within a moving universe and in some people this causes a sense of nausea. This phenomenon rarely affects infants and very young children, who do not yet have a sense of balance, but it is more frequent in women and older children.

Before setting off

Before a long journey you need to be sure that your baby has got enough sleep, lack of sleep can increase the feeling of nausea. We therefore recommend that you wake him up at the last minute, also to avoid the stress associated with preparations. It is also important that you travel with a full stomach, a good breakfast or a snack based on complex sugars and low in fat (a little bread, for example) are ideal, instead avoid giving it as much as possible. drink, especially milk! Wait until it has digested a bit before leaving.

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If your child often suffers from car sickness, you can give him antihistamines half an hour before departure, on sale in any pharmacy (always ask your doctor for advice). The feeling of nausea in means of transport is often psychological in nature. Always explain to your child how the trip will unfold, the anxiety that precedes departure can in fact increase motion sickness.

How to prevent your child from getting car sick

Drive gently, without breaking sharply, and prefer the highway to country roads, which are narrow and winding. Create a serene and peaceful atmosphere in the cockpit, with soft music. Why not sing along? In case of traffic or traffic jam, don't let your child see that you are getting nervous, he will also be affected.

Choose a seat with a straight back and high enough for your child to see out the window. Draw his attention to the outside, for example by playing the game of counting red cars, and not letting him read: the risks of nausea increase when attention is focused on a fixed point. Also avoid strong smells (perfume, salami or other).

If the weather is mild, open the window and let in some fresh air. Always keep some refreshing wipes or a can of spray water in your car to cool your face in case of intense heat. If, on the other hand, you travel in the winter, remember that scarves and high necks promote a sense of nausea.

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Our tips against car sickness

- There are anti seasickness bracelets on the market that work according to the principles of acupuncture.

- Mint candies decrease the sense of nausea. Turn them into magical candies, to be taken out of the bag at the right time!

- A grandmother's technique consists in gluing a plaster on the baby's navel. Success guaranteed!

- You can also put a sprig of parsley around your baby's neck. As with mint or basil, its smell fights the feeling of nausea.