Motion Sickness in Kids: Why It Happens and What Actually Helps

If your child gets nauseous in the car, on a plane, or even during a stroller ride, you’re not imagining things.

Motion sickness is real, it’s common in kids, and (thankfully) there are ways to help.

This is a long post, but it is thorough and breaks everything down with pediatrician pro-tips

What is motion sickness?

Motion sickness happens when the brain gets mixed messages.
The inner ear senses motion, but if your eyes don’t see it (eg: when reading in the backseat) your brain gets confused. That disconnect can trigger dizziness, nausea, or vomiting. Weirdly enough, motion sickness does not require actual motion — just the perception of motion.

Who gets motion sickness?

Anyone. And although some people are more susceptible than others, everyone can get it with the right triggers. Certain types of travel are also more likely to cause it (eg: being on a boat).

Risk Factors

• Hormones: Women in general are more likely to suffer from motion sickness (and even more so if pregnant, menstruating, or taking oral contraceptives).

• Kids are at higher risk, especially if:

  • They’re sitting where they can’t see the horizon

  • There’s poor airflow

  • They’re warm or overtired

  • They have a family history of motion sickness (some people are just genetically predisposed, PMID: 25628336)

  • They get migraines or have sensory sensitivities

  Some kids grow out of it. Others may continue to be motion-sensitive into adulthood.

The Pediatrician Mom Tip: Some people think babies can’t have motion sickness, but I don’t agree. I think babies can’t tell us they are feeling sick. That baby who just “hated” being in the car? Maybe it was motion sickness.

Signs your child might be motion sick

Even if they’re too young to explain how they feel, look for:

• Nausea and vomiting (most common symptoms), or complaints of tummy aches in the car

• Headaches

• Dizziness

• Sweating, drooling more

• Pale skin, clammy hands

• Drowsiness

• They just seem “off” (some people actually experience tingling of the arms and legs, a feeling of “impending doom” or shortness of breath)

What to do in the moment

First, and most importantly, don’t panic. Recognize that these symptoms are not under their control, and may be scary for them.

If motion sickness hits:

1. Stop the motion if you can. Pull over or pause.

2. Help them lie down, eyes closed, with a cool compress on the forehead. If you don’t have one, just let them lie in a cool, well-ventilated area.

3. Crack a window or turn up the air.

4. Offer sips of a cool liquid (eg water, electrolyte drink)

5. Keep a barf bag or lined container handy.

The Motion Sickness Kit

Whether it's a long car ride or short school pickup, if your child is prone to motion sickness, keep these in your car.

• Barf bag or disposable container (eg: from large yogurts)( some are linked on my medicine cabinet faves).

• Large Ziploc bag for soiled items

• Wipes and hand sanitizer

• A roll of paper towels

• Extra outfits

• Puppy pad or old towels

• Cooling cloth or portable fan

• Ginger chews, lollipops, saltines

• A roll of paper towels

• Air freshener

• Water and electrolyte drinks (I wouldn’t keep these in the car because they can overheat, but I recommend traveling with them)

• Cooling cloth or portable fan

• Ginger chews or lollipops (age-appropriate)

• Medications only if recommended by your pediatrician.

The Pediatrician Mom Tip: Never use windex or other cleaning products on a car seat without double-checking the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions (these products can damage the seat).

How to Prevent Motion Sickness: top 10 pro-tips

1. Seat Position

• Best spot? Middle back seat where they can see through the front window, rather than out of the side window (PMID: 10629944, 23713212, 11439716)

The Pediatrician Mom Tip: Sometimes being rear-facing can make motion sickness worse, and it is tempting to turn your child forward-facing early. I do not recommend this if they don’t meet the criteria. I know it sucks, but remember: safety trumps everything.

2. Visual Anchors

• Encourage them to look at the horizon, not down at a book or tablet or out of a side window. You can place shades or covers over side windows or use to help, or use motion sickness glasses.

• There are “motion sickness” settings on the iPad that can help as well.

3. Temperature and Ventilation help

• Heat worsens symptoms. Use AC or crack windows for airflow. Cool compresses can be used for the forehead or back of neck, and you can also use a portable hand-held or neck fan.

• Dress in light, breathable layers.

4. Food Strategy

• Don’t travel on an empty or overly full stomach. Heavy, greasy or spicy food is harder to digest, but some data shows that an empty stomach increases motion sickness as well.

• Plan for a happy medium: choose a light, bland snack (crackers, dry cereal, toast) beforehand, ideally 30-60 mins before travel.

5. Ginger Actually Helps (according to the research)

• Ginger naturally eases nausea (PMID: 12576305).

  1. Add a small amount of grated fresh ginger, or ginger paste, to warm water with honey (only in kids >1y)

  2. Ginger chews or lollipops (remember these can be choking hazards and should only be used for children over 4 years and never IN the car!)

  3. Ginger snaps or tea

  4. Whichever method you use, remember ginger is potent: start low, and go slow.

  5. NOTE: Ginger ale doesn’t actually contain much ginger

6. Acupressure

• Sea-bands are used by a lot of people, although the evidence is mixed. It’s hard to study these in a controlled way, and there is some research showing that pressure on the P6 pressure point (wrist) can be helpful (PMID: 17484344, 7575310, 14693623, 11452572). Very reasonable to try!

7. Alcohol wipes

• This is an old trick from the ER nurses. Sniffing alcohol wipes can really help with nausea in the moment.

8. Distraction works

Distraction reduces anxiety, which often worsens motion sickness:

• Play music or sing songs

• Listen to audiobooks or storytelling podcasts

• Play guessing or memory games (like “I Spy”)

• For older kids: breathing exercises or visualization techniques

9. Take breaks

Many children who are prone to motion sickness do fine on shorter car journeys but feel sick on long trips. Breaking up your travel where possible can make a huge difference. Even if it is just a short break to stretch and get fresh air.

10. Mind over matter???

Believe it or not, evidence shows that if a person believes they won’t have symptoms, they are actually less likely to experience them (PMID: 7592232). This is a useful thing to keep in mind when you talk about it with your child.

What About Medication?

Use medication only when prevention doesn’t work—and with pediatrician guidance.

• Dramamine (dimenhydrinate):

  • non-sedating antihistamine

  • often used for ages 2+

  • comes in chewable and liquid forms (Gravol)

• Benadryl (diphenhydramine):

  • sedating antihistamine

  • not as effective as Dramamine

  • can cause a paradoxical reaction in some kids (hype them up)

  • Try a test dose at home first

• Scopolamine patches

  • not ideal in kids, but may be used in some cases under the guidance of your pediatrician

  • can have serious side effects such as blurry vision, dry mouth, confusion, and sedation.

  • not necessarily more effective than the antihistamines

The Pediatrician Mom Tip: Always dispose of scopolamine patches in the trash and out of reach of children and pets.

Motion Sickness and Air Travel

Planes are trickier due to limited mobility, but you can still:

• Choose seats over the wing (least motion)

• Offer a window seat to watch the horizon

• Use headphones and snacks for distraction

• Avoid large meals pre-flight

• Pack a motion sickness kit in your carry-on

The Pediatrician Mom Tip: Pre-board if possible so your child can settle in without the rush of the crowd.

Pro Tips You May Not Know

• Teach older kids to mimic the driver’s movements (even subtly leaning into turns helps reduce the sensory mismatch).

• Motion sickness is not limited to cars, planes and boats. Some kids experience it in elevators, virtual reality, or even watching fast-paced cartoons.

Motion sickness is frustrating for you and your child. But it’s manageable.

With the right prep, a little trial-and-error, and a calm presence, you can help your child feel better and even enjoy the ride.