 Carsickness,
airsickness or seasickness — they’re all just different
names for the same miserable problem: motion sickness. It can
happen when there’s a mismatch between what your eyes see
and what your inner ear — the body’s balance centre
— senses when you’re in a moving vehicle. The result?
The familiar symptoms of nausea, paleness, a cold sweat and
vomiting. Kids, especially toddlers and preschoolers, are most
susceptible to motion sickness. Fortunately, they’ll usually
outgrow it after the age of five. To prevent motion sickness
before it starts:
- Avoid heavy meals up to two hours before traveling.
- Don’t try to read when traveling — instead, look
out the window at distant objects, or close your eyes.
- In a car or bus, sit where you can see out the windshield
and open a window for fresh air. Better yet, drive the car
yourself and you won’t feel sick!
- On a ship, be sure to get a cabin on the inside, near the
waterline, where there’s less movement. When on deck,
look ahead toward the horizon, which is stable.
- In a plane, ask for a seat next to a bulkhead (wall) over
the wings — it’ll make turbulence less noticeable.
- Just in case the sickness can’t be avoided, always
travel with a leakproof container — resealable food bags
are a good bet.
If all else fails, talk to your doctor about over-the-counter
or prescription medications that can prevent motion sickness.
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