Treating child's airsickness

[bleeps]

Anyone have any advice on treating a 7-year-old's airsickness? Although we'd flown many times without problems, DS was sick on both flights for our summer vacation (and didn't have a cold or any other complicating factors).

We fly down to WDW on 12/3 (a 2.5 hour trip for us) and his little heart is set on hitting MK as soon as we arrive. His doctor said we could "try" Benadryl with the hope that he'd sleep for the flight. Has anyone used this (or anything else) successfully?

 

[kleubanks]

I have two words for you....Chewable Dramamine!

 

[bleeps]

Chewable Dramamine!

Thanks, I'll check it out. Can you tell me how old the child was you gave it to, and if he/she was groggy all day from taking it? Thanks!

 

[disney's daughter]

My 12 1/2 year old granddaughter gets sick and actually sometimes throws up whenever we fly...Would the dramamine work? I feel so sorry for her...It is usually when we are landing or close to landing that she starts to feel sick.....

 

[dvc guy]

Word of caution Whatever the Doctor recommends try it at home first. Many of the drugs have the opposite effect, like benadryl making them hyper. You don't want a 7 yo bouncing off the walls

 

[tjmw2727]

My dd's have been using the chewable dramamine since they were 5 with pediatrician's ok. At first it was just 1/2 tablet but it did the trick every time. My now 10yo has outgrown it and hopefully my 8yo will as well.

Check with the pediatrician and follow the doseing instructions and hope for the best. Avoid dairy before the flight, not because it makes them sick but should he get sick you don't want him to have had dairy! Keep him hydrated and avoid reading especially during take off and landing.

TJ

 

[laceemouse]

I have had severe motion sickness all of my life. I am now 43 and have most certainly NOT outgrown it! I use the regular dramamine. When I was a kid it was a yellow liquid (yuk) the chewables are much nicer. The 24 hour dramamine and Bonine are different drugs, not recommended for kids, and I had terrible side effects when I tried them. Original dramamine is to be given half an hour before the trip and repeated every 4 hours. The child should sleep great on the plane. Depending on the length of the flight you may or may not need to give another dose. I am begging all parents with motion sensitive kids to please, please, please medicate them. Motion sickness is very awful! Also, when I have gotten it, I have really felt ill, headache and upset stomach, for days AFTER the travelling. People often think you barf and then feel great again. NOT TRUE! Also, dramamine CAN be given after the fact. I actually read an article by a ped that said it would NOT work if you already felt sick. TOTALLY UNTRUE! The label even says that it can been used for the prevention AND treatment of motion sickness! Feeling groggy for a few hours is well worth it....and don't count on your kids outrowing it. Hope that they will, but don't count on it!!!

 

[VWLMember]

We have had this problem with our 7-year old and used Bonine for our trip a few weeks ago. It worked perfectly on the plane and the cruise.

BTW we asked our pediatrician about using bonine and he said to give him half a pill per day.

 

[seashoreCM]

Follow the instructions on the medicine including when to take it. For some medicines, by the time you board the plane it is too late.

I have found that I am more likely to get motion sickness on an empty stomach.

Other things to try: Don't read or write or watch a portable DVD player or use coloring books.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[travelin' girl]

Hi, I just had to reply to this problem, because I have had motion sickness my whole life- truly!! If I back up the car I can feel whoosy...One time, after using the patch behind my ear on a flight down to Orlando, I was laying in the lobby at Universal's Portifino for 2 hours waiting for a room...
Since I have been using chewable dramamine, it has been great!! I usually take ours about 45 min to 1 hour before the flight, and have gingerale when they come around for our drink orders while on the plane. Definitely no reading. Our son also has motion sickness and we use dramamine for him too per the pediatrician. The thing is to not take it too early to where it wears off or too late so it is not effective.

 

[bleeps]

Thanks to everyone who has chimed in; this has all been incredibly helpful!

One more wrinkle, if anyone has any experience on this front: I did go out and buy the chewable dramamine last night, but from experience am expecting my DS to have a hard time with it -- he's never done well with chewables (gets upset, chokes, spits up meds). I'm not sure if he'll be capable of taking it like a pill (with water) -- is it effective to dissolve one in water and drink it down? Seems to me as though that would just speed up the process that happens internally anyway, but just curious if anyone also has the problem of a child who won't do a chewable....

 

[lanicastro]

My DS who is 4 will not take chewables, so we dissolve regular dramamine in apple juice and it works great. His Dr said that it was OK.

Lynn

 

[bleeps]

My DS who is 4 will not take chewables, so we dissolve regular dramamine in apple juice and it works great. His Dr said that it was OK.

Lynn

Oh, great! Thank you SO very much for the info; apple juice it is!

 

[Drizzo67]

I would also look into Sea Bands. They look like wrist bands but have little plastic dots that hit pressure spots and eleviate nausea. I have been using them since my honeymoon cruise 11 years ago. They even helped me through my pregnancies. Its worth a shot. I wear them at WDW for all the simulator rides as they make me sick as well. Beats having to take pills everyday if I don't need them.

PS. I take the chewable Dramamine for our flights too.

D

 

[kleubanks]

Thanks, I'll check it out. Can you tell me how old the child was you gave it to, and if he/she was groggy all day from taking it? Thanks!

My daughter was 6 the first time we gave it to her. It does not seem to make her groggy at all.

 

[bleeps]

My daughter was 6 the first time we gave it to her. It does not seem to make her groggy at all.

Thanks -- I'll hope our experience is similar, since I'd hate for that magical first day to be a chore for DS because he's out of it because of the Dramamine!

 

[Princess Tink]

I second trying the Sea Bands. I too get motion sick very easily. I tried Dramamine and Bonine before our cruise last year......and they both knocked me out! I picked up the Sea Bands and had no side effects (they are like bracelets) and they even carry child size. I now keep a pr in each vehicle and never fly w/o them.

 

[Snoozan]

I always use Dramamine myself and have given it to my DS's back when they were as young as 8. I find as long as you take a little nap once the drowsiness hits you, I wake up refreshed and raring to go. When we fly, we're usually up at 4:00AM so by the time of our flight at 7:00AM or so, I'm really ready for a nap anyways. I find the drowsiness lasts longer when I don't get some shut-eye time. Just my experience.

 

[Rohu13]

I have had motion sickness since I was a child...my 12 yr old has had it for quite a while also. I take dramamine same goes for my son. Try it at home to see how your child reacts. I get very sleepy but recover easily. My son does not get sleepy. The only time dramamine did not work was on DCL thru a tropical storm most people on the ship were green though. When my son was younger our doctor had us crush the pill and put in vanilla pudding for him to take. Goodluck!

 

[InstImpres]

This sounds silly but it really works (for both DD10 and I). Carry alchohol pads, you can get a box of 100 for about $2 in the first aid aisle. At the first sign of feeling queasy, rip open the package, put it directly under your nose and take several deep breaths. The motion sickness goes away in under 30 seconds. i use this on the plane and on some WDW rides.