No sooner is the family on the road than a child in the back seat starts feeling sick. Motion sickness is unpleasant, but not unusual. Long car journeys, winding roads, heat, reading, or screen time can particularly upset the stomach. It is important for parents: do not wait until it is already too late to react.
With a few simple preparations, the trip can often be made much more relaxed. It is not about a perfect journey, but about good breaks, a clear view, light snacks, and a small emergency kit that is within reach.
Before departure: Plan seating and view
Many children tolerate the trip better if they can look forward or out the window. Reading, drawing, or long screen time on winding roads often worsens motion sickness. Audiobooks, music, listening puzzles, or simple observation games are usually the better choice.
If possible, plan the route so that the most difficult sections do not come immediately after a large meal. Stuffy air also makes it worse. Regular ventilation or moderate air conditioning can help without cooling the car down too much.
Eat light, drink regularly
Before the trip, a light snack is better than very fatty, heavy food. Small portions are well-suited, for example, dry pastries, rusks, crackers, bananas, or a simple bread roll. During the trip, it is better to offer small sips of water instead of very sweet drinks.
Timing is also important. Those who start on an empty stomach sometimes feel sick faster. The same applies to those who drive on a winding road immediately after a large meal. A small middle ground is most tolerable for many children.
Do not wait until things go wrong to take breaks
For children with known motion sickness, breaks should be planned before the mood turns. Getting out briefly, getting fresh air, walking a few steps, and looking into the distance can make a big difference. In hot weather, breaks should also take place in the shade, not on heated parking areas.
When the first signs appear, such as paleness, sweating, frequent yawning, stomach pain, or unusual quietness, it often helps to: interrupt the trip, take a breath, loosen tight clothing, and do not force them to continue eating.
This belongs in the back seat kit, ready to hand
- Water bottle: for small sips, not as a very cold drink.
- Light snacks: dry pastries, crackers, or bananas in small portions.
- Sick bags or sealable paper bags: better to be prepared than to search frantically.
- Wet wipes, tissues, and a small towel: for hands, mouth, and seat area.
- Change of shirt: especially for longer trips or very sensitive children.
- Audiobook or music: as an alternative to a book, tablet, or mobile phone.
Everything should be secured during the trip. Loose bottles, boxes, and bags do not belong unsecured on the seat, but in compartments, bags, or stowed in such a way that nothing flies through the car during braking.
Medication only suitable for the child
There are remedies for motion sickness, but for children, they should not be taken casually from the adult travel medicine cabinet. Age, weight, potential side effects, and the correct dosage must be appropriate. Ask at the pharmacy or your pediatrician in good time before longer trips.
Some remedies can make you sleepy. Storage is also important in summer: medication does not belong in a heated car and not permanently in the sun.
When medical advice is useful
If a child vomits very severely or repeatedly, shows signs of dehydration, appears unusually sleepy, develops a severe headache, or the symptoms do not match the driving situation, medical advice should be sought. This also applies if motion sickness occurs suddenly and very violently.
For a normal holiday trip, the following applies: plan early, stay calm, take breaks seriously, and prepare the back seat practically. Then motion sickness will not automatically become a crisis, but something that can be better managed in everyday family life.
Read also
- Start of the holidays in a traffic jam: How to keep the car journey with children more relaxed
- Driving in the heat: How families stay safe on trips and vacations
- Travel medicine cabinet in summer: What families should pack
- Packing hand luggage correctly in summer
- Storing medication correctly in the heat
Sources and further information
- Gesundheit.gv.at: Travel sickness
- ÖAMTC auto touring: Tips against motion sickness
- ÖAMTC: Tips for a stress-free holiday trip on family travels
Article image: AI-generated symbolic image.
