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Travel Ailments in Toddlers
From Car Sickness to Sea Sickness
By Katherine Bontrager
(Revell, 2007). And Woods' struggle with her son is a common one. "During flight, it's advisable to have a baby or toddler sucking on something during take off and landing," Walker says. "This helps their ears not to 'pop' during the changes in cabin pressure."
But how can you handle the insufferable whining that accompanies long trips in the car? Walker suggests frequent stops during car trips for potty breaks and for simply letting little ones run out some of that inevitable pent-up energy. "Stopping every two hours at a rest stop that has a place for the child to run or to spend a few minutes playing catch if the weather is nice is a great way to break up a lengthy car trip and keep the whining to a minimum," she says.
Whining and restlessness are nothing compared to a little one with a serious case of car sickness. "Having had a child with significant motion sickness myself, I would strongly suggest that parents teach their children early on how to find and be in charge of the airsickness bags," says Dr. Charlotte Cowan, a pediatrician who worked at Boston's MassGeneral Hospital for Children before she left her practice to write stories for children about the illnesses important to them, including Katie Caught a Cold, The Little Elephant with the Big Earache, Peeper Has a Fever and Sadie's Sore Throat (Hippocratic Press).
"This avoids any sense of panic on the part of the child and most of the time sidesteps any embarrassment, too. Carry airsick bags in cars, as well. They provide means of comfort and control for a child at risk of vomiting. She will be reassured knowing that there is always a plan. By the age of 4, my daughter would quietly handle her vomiting herself!"