Motion Sickness with Children

[sarahc78]

What do you all use while on cruises with your children? We will be taking our kids to Bermuda and I have a 4 year old, not sure if he will get motion sickness but want to have something just incase. I will be bringing the non drowsy dramamine for the older boys.

[memparrot]

My 5 yr old does well with the seabands. I am planning to use them for my 3yr old on our cruise in May.

[cb at sea]

If your child doesn't have a problem riding in a car, or amusement rides, he'll most likely never notice any motion!

Ask your pediatrician what's appropriate for the younger child!

[alj1208]

I asked my pediatrician what to do if DS, 4.5, gets seasick, and he responded that I could give him Dramamine. He gave me the dose for my child's age and weight, and I am bringing some for sure. The doctor told me to give him a dose while we're still home just to make sure he reacts okay.

[sarahc78]

I asked my pediatrician what to do if DS, 4.5, gets seasick, and he responded that I could give him Dramamine. He gave me the dose for my child's age and weight, and I am bringing some for sure. The doctor told me to give him a dose while we're still home just to make sure he reacts okay.

Does your son swallow pills ok? I have never tried it with my 4 year old.

[wcurry66]

bonine for kids is a chewable tablet

[kelbre]

My kids have never had any trouble with it, but they both wear the sea bands. Although I really don't think they need them, but I figure if it makes them feel more secure, than why not. Also, depends too on where the cruise goes, I find the western caribbean to be not as rough as the eastern.

[dmr19]

When my son got seasick on a very rough day at sea, the waiters brought him green apples. They seemed to help. I tried some, too, and they really seemed to quiet the nausea. After that, we requested some from room service and kept them ready in our cabin.

[alj1208]

Sarahc78, My son won't swallow pills, and I need to ask my ped if it's okay to crush up the dramamine and mix with apple sauce or yogurt. I don't know the answer.

[Snorer]

If your child doesn't have a problem riding in a car, or amusement rides, he'll most likely never notice any motion!

Ask your pediatrician what's appropriate for the younger child!

 

Not necessarily true; my husband just said he never gets motion sickness while driving but 3 hours out to sea on our second cruise was "sick as a dog".

[smoothy]

My older (8) DS gets seasick. On days where conditions are light and we don't need to use Dramamine, we find that ginger (ginger hard candies or chewy ginger (we get this at bulk food stores)) works well to prevent/reduce minor queasiness. I know it works well as he tends start to panic if there is even the smallest chance he will vomit, the ginger calms him down quickly.

[smoothy]

Sarahc78, My son won't swallow pills, and I need to ask my ped if it's okay to crush up the dramamine and mix with apple sauce or yogurt. I don't know the answer.

 

See if they have Dramamine in chewable tabs or liquid. In Canada, Gravol (same active ingredient as Dramamine) comes in chewable tablets, liquid, or even suppositories (eek), all designed for children.

[mass02703]

It is funny how people react differently. My three year old gets sick quite often in the car (think vomit) yet this past November while on a cruise following a hurricane and everybody else was getting sick, she felt fine. I to often get car sick but have never been sea sick. I was certainly glad that she didn't feel sick because about a year ago when we were flying to Florida I asked the pediatrician what I could give her for motion sickness (I think that I was more worried about the hour drive to the airport because at that time she was getting sick every time we got into a car.) and he recommended a quarter of a dramamine pill. I did not test it out beforehand and it was disastrous, she had an adverse reaction. I gave it to her 20 minutes before we left the house and by the time that we got to the airport my always pleasant child was in full fits of rage. She was throwing herself on the floor, hitting and kicking people and things, and screaming at the top of her lungs. She never did get sick but i am surprised that they let me board the plane with this out of control child (I am sure that everybody at the gate was hoping that they were not having to sit next to her.) This was from a child that barely even cried on a normal day. It did wear off on the plane and eventually she returned to her normal self. I knew this time that dramamine would not have been an option on the cruise, purchased a bracelet but never did need to use it. You may not want to give a young child dramamine for the first time on vacation, I learned from experience.

[Raven Days]

I called my grand daughter's pediatrician and asked her what to give my grand daughter and was told I couldn't give her anything! I am afraid to board that ship with out anything at all. I got a bit queasy on the Liberty for a day but felt fine afterward a couple of the sea sick pills from the Infirmary and a nap. I hate to go against her doctor, she has been hers since she was 2 weeks old and I trust her...but I dont want a sick kid either. What should I do?

[Mack2]

What do you all use while on cruises with your children? We will be taking our kids to Bermuda and I have a 4 year old, not sure if he will get motion sickness but want to have something just incase. I will be bringing the non drowsy dramamine for the older boys.

 

Ask your doctor or pharmacist what is the best solution.

 

I'm a pharmacist, and I can tell you that non-drowsy formula Dramamine contains the same active ingredient as Bonine. That ingredient is called meclizine HCl.

 

 

Problem with meclizine is that it was never deemed to be safe and effective in children under the age of 12. So, when you look at Non-drowsy formula Dramamine and Bonine, both will have it labeled NOT to use it in children under the age of 12...

 

or...

http://www.dramamine.com/less-drowsy

Warnings

Do not use for children under 12 years of age unless directed by a doctor

 

 

Doesn't mean that the drug won't work on kids under the age of 12, it just means that medical people, the manufacturer, and their lawyers would probably tell you it's not a good idea.

 

 

 

What you CAN use (not Bonine for Kids, that stuff is not recommended for kids under 6) is Dramamine Chewable Original Formula or Benadryl... yes, I said Benadryl.

http://www.dramamine.com/chewable-formula

Directions

 

 

To prevent motion sickness, the first dose should be taken ½ to 1 hour before starting activity

 

To prevent or treat motion sickness, see below:

 

• adults and children 12 years and over 1 to 2 chewable tablets every 4-6 hours; do not take more than 8 tablets in 24 hours, or as directed by a doctor
  
• children 6 to under 12 years ½ to 1 chewable tablet every 6-8 hours; do not take more than 3 tablets in 24 hours, or as directed by a doctor
  
• children 2 to under 6 years ½ chewable tablet every 6-8 hours; do not take more than 1-½ tablets in 24 hours, or as directed by a doctor

Benadryl is a related chemically to Dramamine, and although it causes a lot of drowsiness, and cures allergy symptoms, it also helps with motion sickness.

http://www.drugs.com/benadryl.html

Benadryl is also used to suppress coughs, to treat motion sickness, to induce sleep, and to treat mild forms of Parkinson's disease.

Hope this helps.

[MamaParrotHead]

Great info on the Benadryl. I've heard it also sometimes helps in extreme flu cases with the nausea.

 

I'm also one who can get carsick but never seasick.

 

I was having a conversation with one of the Camp Carnival staff and they also brought up the green apples.

[MardiGras316]

We used bonine for our 6 year old on our Christmas cruise. We gave it to her at night right before bedtime so she wouldn't be drowsy during the day, but it was in her system. We also started to give it to her two nights before we traveled to our cruise "so it was in her system" as a medical prof. told us to do. She was never sick and we had two rough days on the water and lots of adults were popping pills, putting patches behind their ears and wearing Seabands!

[AJI2596]

My 5 yr old does well with the seabands. I am planning to use them for my 3yr old on our cruise in May.

 

We used these for our son when he was 2 and just bought more or this upcoming cruise.