How strong is the possibility of young children getting seasick?

[debbiebones]

My husband and I have been on several cruises and I've always carried along my pressure point sea-bands for seasickness(just in case). I don't recall having to use them too often...I know unless it's really rough that usually, you'll hardly notice the ship moving.

However, our 2 and 4 year old of course have never been cruising. I'm wondering...what are the chances of young children becoming seasick and what are the options if they do become nauseous? I don't like the idea of giving them medications if it's really not necessary.

Thanks in advance,

Deb

 

[cruisnfamily]

I'd say the chances are pretty slim. Children don't seem to notice the motion as much as adults.

That said, the first night is generally the night that you will feel it if you're going to feel it at all. It seems to be a little bumpy due to crossing the gulf stream.

 

[Michelle]

Very slim. Do they get carsick? If not, then most likely they will have no problems at all.

The only time I ever give my daughter Dramamine is if we are on a SMALL boat excursion with the potential for rough seas. Even then she doesn't always need it.

I would NOT medicate your kids unless you have prior experience with them and motion sickness.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[fozzy]

We cruised last Oct 2001 and only had one day of rough seas. We had some effects of a hurricane (can't remember which one) it caused us to have a "Mystery" cruise. My 8yr DS and I old got sick for that one day. But my DH and 3yr DS didn't bother them at all. I had read on board last year about having kids swim because it somehow equalized the ear pressure, so 8yr did that and began to fill better. By night all of us were much better, come to find out nearly half of the ship and crew had been sick that day too. I guess you just can't know. But the 8yr old does get car sick from time to time.

 

[Werner Weiss]

I take exception to any statements that generalize about children and motion sickness. Don't let anyone tell you that children don't suffer from motion sickness -- but don't expect motion sickness to be inevitable just because a child is at sea either. It all depends on the individual. And that indvidual could be a child or an adult.

My wife never gets motion sickness. But I can't even go on a lot of theme park rides. (Body Wars was terrible! Never again.) Unfortunately, in this regard, our daughters take after me. Our daughters would have been sick all week if they had not been taking their doctor-approved Bonine. (Don't give Bonine to any child under 12 unless approved by your doctor.)

On one day at sea on the Disney Magic, my younger daughter started feeling awful in the afternoon. The sea wasn't rough, but there was normal motion. We discovered she had not taken her Bonine that morning, and the prior day's dose must have been wearing off.

I agree that WebmasterMichelle's question, "Do they get carsick?" is a valid starting point. Do they get sick on airplanes? Do you have any reason to believe that motion makes them sick?

By the way, I thought it was interesting that WebmasterMichelle needs to give Dramamine to her daughter on a SMALL boat excursion. I do fine on small boats, where I have a visual reference. But more subtle motion without a visual reference -- such as being in an interior space on a ship, where my eyes and my inner ear don't agree with other -- brings on motion sickness unless I've taken a proper precaution (the Transderm Scop patch in my case). Again, this just proves that individuals react differently to motion.

 

[Michelle]

Good points, Werner! Every parent knows their child best, mine is never motion sick (she loves every spinning ride known to mankind) and I just gave her Dramamine on a boat ride that turned out to have driving rains and 4-6 foot waves. Kids (and adults) were getting sick right and left on that excursion (a catamaran to St. John) and I was glad I had given her Dramamine in advance as a precaution. She doesn't get sick normally on small boat rides, but that was exceptionally rough seas with pounding waves. In normal conditions when we go sailing locally none of us take any meds.

I don't get seasick either but I took a Bonine before that boat ride and was glad I did. We spent a good deal of the time in the HULL of the catamaran to avoid the driving cold rain, and you're right, going below is the WORST thing to do if you're seasick. We were just cold and wet and thankfully were able to go below and ride it out.

 

[momofofo]

Last March, my 10 years old DD got sea sick for the first night and the first day at sea.

However, she never get sick in car and she goes on big roller coaster without any problem.

I think that you won't know until your on the ship.

The crew told us to go outside a lot, to drink ginger ale and to eat a lot of crackers. That is working. She was fine for the rest of the cruise.

It was our best vacation ever and even she was sick she wants to go back.

Have a nice cruise

 

[jazzbran]

We did the 7 day Eastern 10/00 & 10/01. Both of my children were seasick coming back from St. Thomas on both dates even with the Bonine.

We just did the Western on 9/14/02 with no medication and no sea-sickness, thank goodness. I have 2 girls ages 10 & 13.
Go figure.

Enjoy your cruise.

 

[MnParrothead]

We've cruised three times so far and my teen son was always ill the first evening of our cruise. We learned on the last cruise that if he keeps his stomach from being totally empty then he will feel okay. Crackers and clear soda worked for him.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Great Post Werner!

Perhaps not everyone will know that it is being enclosed, where the visual and the inner ear are not getting the same signals, that is one of the biggest factors in motion sickness. That is why kids and people who are prone to motion sickness often have a harder time riding in the more enclosed back seat of a car. Thus the crews recommendation to go out on deck.

Also, ginger is also proven to help alleviate nausea, thus the recommendation for Ginger Ale and Ginger snaps.

Kinda makes me think that the first assumptions, avoid food and drink, lie down in the cabin, may not always be the best thing to do?

My husband is the one who may possibly get sea-sick. Only HE is convinced that he will be fine.... We'll see!

 

[debbiebones]

For those of you who do get nauseous and don't like the thought of taking medications...I swear by the sea-bands (can be purchased at marina supply stores). They're the best thing since sliced bread!!! I'm one of those people who get very carsick if I even look down in the car and try to read something. Well, I bought the sea-bands once when I was taking sailing lessons...they've been my best friend ever since! Great for guarding against seasickness and I can read entire novels in the car now...they even helped alleviate my morning sickness when I was pregnant! They're relatively inexpensive too....under $10 for a pair and you just wear them around your wrists with the plastic circles touching your pulse points.

I used to get mine at the drugstore too so you might try there as well.

Deb

 

[mcnuss]

I get sick pretty easily on any kind of motorized ship or boat, and never, ever get sick on a sail boat. I only get sick in cars if I try to read. It's very weird. Staying in the fresh air helps me a great deal. Ginger in any form would make me , well, you know what. Coke has helped as long as it's kind of warm and a little flat. I've been this way since I was little and now I'm 40 so I don't think it will go away. DD8 gets queasy on any kind of spinny ride, but not so far on a boat or roller coaster. I am not sure what I will do for her, likely I will start her off with a 1/4 dose of Dramamine the first evening and see how she does. My pediatrician told me to give it to her at night so that its most potent sleep inducing effects are during the night.

I used the patch on our last cruise and may do it again. I know some people react badly to it, but if I take any kind of anti-histimines, like Bonine or Dramamine, I am just out cold. I slept thru an entire Whale watch last year (the nap was nice, but costly) and I don't want to be doped up for the cruise. I figure I can take the patch off if I react.

 

[Wishing on a star]

The Sea bands sound great, if they would work for us. But, I am wondering about if they are uncomfortable at all. (I am not even used to wearing a watch, and I am pretty sensitive that way.)
Are they tight? Do they leave marks?
Just wondering!

 

[debbiebones]

They are a bit snug...but I don't find them to be uncomfortable...(especially when the alternative is feeling sick to my stomach

Probaby the best comparison I can make is to those sweatbands we wear when we play tennis (or used to play tennis in my case).

The plastic does leave a little circle mark on your inside wrist but I always feel like it's a good sign that they're working.

If you don't like wearing a watch, you might find them uncomfortable, but they're worth a try.

Good luck.

Deb