Anyone deal with Car Sickness

[Chief Roundup]

I have never had to deal with this before. I went and picked up my grandkids and I am keeping them for a little over a month. On the way home from the airport, 4 hour trip, they both end up getting sick. I asked my son about this and evidently his wife had this issue when she traveled by car. Anyway all bitching about the experience and trip back to the house aside.
How do you keep them from getting car sick short of Dramamine? They are allergic to that stuff evidently. I have made a lot of plans for the next month and there is a good amount of travel involved.
One of them is almost 2 the other will turn 4 before he goes home with his mom and dad.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by blaise

One of my sons gets it pretty bad. It seems to me like it's partially caused by the sun through the window. If the sun is shining on his face it makes it much worse. Sometimes I take a towel and hang it in the window he sits next to. Like crack the window, stick the top of the towel through and then closed the window.
But if you put too much of the towel through it flaps on top of the car.
That and I keep the AC up pretty high, and if I turn into a parking lot or something I try and not turn from side to side too quickly.

I wondered about the flashing of the shadows of the trees on the road from the sun. I had the window down thinking maybe the air would help. Never thought about the A/C helping.

Originally Posted by Inmem58

I was always told to watch the road. That helped me. I use to get sick quite a bit.


Watch the road and maybe stop for frequent breaks.

Yeah I kept telling them to look out the front window.

[Old Dog]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

In other words they would probably still allergic to that stuff as well?

no, Dramamine is Dimenhydrinate, the others are meclozine....two different drugs.
Would suggest asking specifically what they have been told they're allergic to (the parents, not the kids).
They may be able to take the latter even if allergic to the former.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by frazod

I assume strapping them to the roof isn't an option?

Unfortunately no that is not an option at this point in time.

[AdumbGuy]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

Don't let them look down as in drawing or coloring. Looking out and forward should keep the motion sickness away.

This, don't just give them some random drugs. If they can see where they're going, they should be fine. Open windows if possible. Hard candy/soft drinks/gum can help too depending on how old they are. Sunlight in a car with rolled up windows and the a/c not on high triggered it for me every time. Once I figured out how to deal with it, it was no problem.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by tooge

try a ball gag

The puke still spews around the ball.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by Old Dog

no, Dramamine is Dimenhydrinate, the others are meclozine....two different drugs.
Would suggest asking specifically what they have been told they're allergic to (the parents, not the kids).
They may be able to take the latter even if allergic to the former.

My son is not allergic to the Dramamine but his wife is and evidently both the grandkids had a bad reaction to it on a boat ride before.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

In other words they would probably still allergic to that stuff as well?

no, it's a completely different substance. they just use the dramamine brand name so people know what it is

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by AdumbGuy

This, don't just give them some random drugs. If they can see where they're going, they should be fine. Open windows if possible. Hard candy/soft drinks/gum can help too depending on how old they are. Sunlight in a car with rolled up windows and the a/c not on high triggered it for me every time. Once I figured out how to deal with it, it was no problem.

This sounds like a nice and easy combo to follow.

[NewChief]

Bonine/cyclozine might also work provided they're not allergic to it as well.

They need to look forward, not out the side windows when riding in the car. No looking down at games or books. No watching movies.

Ginger tablets are also supposed to work.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by loochy

no, it's a completely different substance. they just use the dramamine brand name so people know what it is

Good info from you guys. It is probably a good tactic for both parties.

[mikey23545]

If possible, let them ride in the front seat.

I can still suffer from carsickness when I am not the driver, and it seems much worse if I'm in the back seat.

[DJ's left nut]

Is the front seat available? I would imagine the 4 year old could sit up there. The openness of the front seat and the outside views tends to be a little easier on folks. My wife still gets it a little bit.

EDIT: Q

[Donger]

Shaking one's head (like one is indicating "no") rather vigorously actually helps with motion sickness.

[Demonpenz]

i get very sick. Luckily I am not the passenger much.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by mikey23545

If possible, let them ride in the front seat.

I can still suffer from carsickness when I am not the driver, and it seems much worse if I'm in the back seat.

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Is the front seat available? I would imagine the 4 year old could sit up there. The openness of the front seat and the outside views tends to be a little easier on folks. My wife still gets it a little bit.

EDIT: Q

Yeah there is only a front seat in my pickup. Sounds like the pickup might be another good idea.