Motion Sickness in Babies

Motion sickness is no fun for anyone, including babies. What makes motion sickness challenging in babies is that they may not be able to tell you what the problem is every time they are feeling awful. With older children, they are usually able to articulate their queasiness before the vomiting begins.

  1. Facts

    • According to askdrsears.com, motion sickness is the result from confusion between the eye and ear. The inner ear detects movement, but the eyes may not because they are focused elsewhere. This causes the brain to get mixed signals, which many times result in nausea.

    Babies

    • Dr. Greene tells us that anyone can get motion sickness in the right conditions, even babies. Some are more susceptible to it than others, and boats and planes tend to cause worse motion sickness than cars. This is due to the brain being unable to get used to the new sensation. Many times motions sickness gets better as one ages.

    Symptoms

    • Many times motions sickness causes one's stomach to feel funny, and, according to Dr. Greene, can even cause sweating, yawning, lots of crying for babies, quickness of breath and increased saliva. If it seems that a baby is crying more than normal when traveling, it could be due to motion sickness. Motion sickness lasts until the motion stops. If a baby cries every time it is in a moving car, and ceases when the vehicle stops, it could be dealing with motion sickness.

    Prevention

    • Treating motion sickness is challenging after it starts. Askdrsears.com suggests finding ways to stop it before it starts. Babies are positioned in car seats facing backward, which can enhance motion sickness. By making sure the baby has a clear view outside, and keeping some fresh air in the vehicle, motion sickness may be avoided. If traveling by plane, traveling on an empty stomach may help. According to home-remedies-for-you.com, planning long trips around nap or sleeping times will help ease the baby into travel, and he will hopefully sleep through the flight.

    Medication

    • In extreme cases, your doctor may be able to prescribe an antihistamine for a baby when dealing with motion sickness. According to Dr. Greene, antihistamines block the chemical signals of motion sickness. Many times, over the counter motion sickness medications are not safe for children under the age of 2, so it is a good idea to consult your doctor first.

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