kids getting seasick?

[2boysmommy]

We're cruising with our 3 1/2 year old the week before Thanksgiving. I do plan on bringing him meds......but I was wondering how many of you that have cruised before had seasick kids? We've taken many ferry rides across Long Island sound.....and he never seems to be bothered by the motion-even on the rough sea days.

 

Enquiring minds want to know!

[Onessa]

My DD, who has issues with winding roads, never had a problem with seasickness. Her best friend - a seasoned fresh-water boater - JUST got back from AK and spent the whole week on meds and was bedridden until they kicked in - her mom said it wasn't even rough.

 

I guess there is just no way of knowing until you try. Be prepared!

[glen tev]

Our 2 year old was fine on the Miracle last year no meds needed.I guess it depends on the child.

[pd933]

We sailed in September last year and sailed around Hurricane Ivan and had 20+ foot seas for about 8 hours. Me and my 3 y/o DD had a ball we had breakfast together then she went to kids center and played and I watched the waves crash on the bow.. But the other side is my DW and 7 y/o DS in bed with meds the whole time. Other than the 8 hours or so everyone was fine with no medication.

 

You can never tell with the kids we just let them be and they told us if it the motion was a problem.

[familycruzer]

How are they with rides at amusement parks?

 

My best advice is not to make a big deal out of being sea sick. Keep them active, get plenty of fresh air, and dont go long periods of time without food or ginger ale.

Many of the OC meds have side effects that can make them tired or have other stomach troubles.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Where are you cruising? Some cruises tend to be calmer than others MOST of the time. Our Alaskan cruise was very calm but there's been a few big-wave ones. Our Hawaii route is supposed to be rough but some people posting here didn't find it a problem. A few years ago we had high swells coming out of Puerto Rico right after a storm. We were on the deck watching the action and then went to the kids area to retrieve our then-three-year-old. She hadn't notice the rocking of the ship and it didn't keep her from going to sleep right away, along with hubby. I went up to a bar and got a ginger ale. I noticed that "barf bags" had been placed by the trash cans.

[mccruzer]

We're leaving on our first cruise with our 4 yr old son. What do you all give your kids if they get seasick?...

[cruisinqt]

A few weeks before our first cruise our DD came down with a nasty stomach virus. It got so bad that I had to take her to the doctor because of dehydration. Our pediatrition recommended "Emetrol" and it worked like a charm!:) It didn't make our then 3 year old sleepy and the nausea subsided quickly. It's available anywhere, they have it at places like Wal-Mart and Walgreens. It worked so good for our kids that when my DH and I got stomach viruses with severe nausea that we used it. It has both adult and child dosages on the bottle too. We bring this on every cruise and fortunately haven't had to use it on a cruise yet. But it sure has come in handy at home!;)

[Nliedel]

Thanks for the tip cruisingqt. I am going to get some of that just in case for the boys.

[2boysmommy]

I'll have to get some Emetrol also..........my son's dr. told us we can give him Dramamine- he's 3 1/2 and 36 lbs so he can have 25 mg every 6 hours as needed (they come in 50 mg tabs)

 

I usually bring Pepto Bismol tabs also- I tend to have a nervous stomach and don't do well with "foreign" water- so I pop two of those with every meal. The pepto acts as an antimicrobial- so it will knock out any nasty germies that may make me sick.

 

I travel with a whole slew of meds......I like being prepared. I'm just hoping I won't need 1/2 of it!!

 

BTW- we're cruising the western Caribbean- Miami to Stirrup Cay, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Roatan.

[Onessa]

If you or your kids do get seasick - do treat it and take it seriously. My DD's best friend (10YO) spent a day-and-a-half in the hospital last week after their AK cruise - she had problems the last day-and-a-half on board but didn't want her older brother/cousins teasing her so she hid it. On the way home on the plane, she was still sick - by the time she got home her system was "thrown off" - she was not throwing up but was constipated - again didn't tell anyone until she was just about ready to pass out at school! She was treated for dehydration and was held over for observation.

 

For minor queeziness, ginger candy works for my DD. She likes the candied ginger or the soft-chews that the "Ginger Guys" sell. For me, I like ginger Altoids (just like them - don't really get queezy, I do get land-based vertigo though! - I'm fine on-board, but feel like I still AM on-board when I hit land!)

[2boysmommy]

For me, I like ginger Altoids (just like them - don't really get queezy, I do get land-based vertigo though! - I'm fine on-board, but feel like I still AM on-board when I hit land!)

 

I got that on a cruise a few years ago.......the last island that we went to I felt seasick the whole time on the island. Once I got back on the boat, it was much better. BTW- we did hit some rough seas on that cruise.......maybe I just got acclimated to the rocking? Its weird to be on solid ground and be seasick!! LOL

[cjh]

If you tell a member of the crew you feel sick they will tell you to get a green apple and eat it. That's what they do when they have to get used to being back on the ship. You will always find green apples at the buffet

[I&MsMom]

I just got off the Triumph to Canada a week or so ago. The last couple of days/nights were a little rough.

 

DS (6) is susceptible to motion sickness - went with Bonine, sea bands and ginger chewing gum. On advice of the infirmary, based on info from the captain as to what the sea conditions were predicted to be, I gave him 1/2 of a Bonine the last 2 nights of the cruise. He was completely unfazed. So much so that he didn't even mind the camp (which was forward on deck 11). Go figure! Never used the sea bands or the gum.

 

In May, we were in Barbados and went on a snorkeling trip in a relatively small boat (probably 30' or so). It was REALLY rough at our last stop. I had given him 1/2 a bonine at breakfast, and he had the sea bands on. While he was definitely green (never truly understood that saying unitl that day), he held it together when a lot of others did not.

 

Hope you all have smooth sailing!

[CariBear]

We are cruising in December with our 3 year old....who refuses to take any meds. We crush up her vitamin in her milk every evening, so she doesn't realize she is taking a vitamin. Do you think I could crush up dramamine or bonine and put it in her milk??

[wanda1213]

We just got off the Explorer of the Seas this Sunday. Monday was a rough day at sea. My three kids were feeling very seasick. I went to the Guest relations to get the seasick pills and they sent me to the medic because it was children involved. They gave me dramamine. I gave 1/2 tablet to the 8 and 10 year old and 1/4 tablet to the 4 year old. We then gave it to them before we even got out of bed in the morning. Because there were storms around our seas were pretty rough so we took the meds each day but never had a problenm after the first day. Green appleas are supposed to help, but my kids threw them up. I think if you know your child might get sick, I would give the pill 1 hour before sailing and a few days after that, just to be sure.

[lhugheshome]

My 11 year daughter has cruised 6 times. Her first time was at age 5. She is prone to motion sickness. On almost every trip she gets sweaty and headaches prior to the onset of sea sickness. It is not everyday. Her episodes have become quite predictable now that I am able to read the early warning signs. She takes a little dramamine and she is good to go.

 

Given that the episodes almost always happen around 6:00pm she has never missed dinner. I thought about just giving her the medication regardless..decided to only give it to her if she displays symptoms. Now that she is older she recognizes the early warning signs and acts quickly.

 

All kids are different...but this has been my experience. Its the same thing at home when she rides in the back seat of the car. If she starts to get a headache I know to either stop or move her to the front seat.

[merela]

I checked with Walgreen's and they don't have Emetrol. Do I give them 1/2 dose of Dramamine or Bonine? Does anyone know what is the difference between these 3 drugs. I have a 6YO and a 3.5YO. I think since they are older now, they are more likely to feel sea sickness. I don't want to take any chances of them feeling sick, so I want to be prepared.

[Nliedel]

Bonine does not have a children's dose that I can find. Dramamine does.

[2boysmommy]

My ped's office told me that my 3 1/2 yo son can have 1/2 tab of dramamine every 6 hours. Dramamine comes in 50mg chewable tabs. I'm not sure about the bonine.....so we'll stick to the dramamine.

[Cruisin' Chick]

My girl hasn't had motion sickness problems on previous cruises but this one is supposed to be rough for the first couple of days. So I plan to take candid ginger (grocery store carries this) and ginger Altoids (Target has these at the checkout. But I guess to be safe, I'll take along one of the medications you folks have mentioned. Better safe than sorry.

[crhenderson]

We have an 18 month old, does anyone have experiences with a child that young being seasick?

[caprcorn28]

Just one night we had two of our three kids get seasick as we made our way thru some strong waves due to a storm off the coast of Africa (we were only on our way from the Bahamas to the Dominican!)...The best place to be when you are feeling queasy like that - up on deck in the center of the ship - Lido for instance - out in the fresh air!! We just took down a few deck chairs, had a blanket (and a bucket just in case!) and sat out there until they got tired enough to go back to the cabin and fall right to sleep. First thing in the morning - OUT ON DECK and all was fine!! (Worst part of all that...I missed my lobster dinner that night...errrrr...I swear, I'm ordering two tails this next trip!!!)

[wisefamily4]

(Worst part of all that...I missed my lobster dinner that night...errrrr...I swear, I'm ordering two tails this next trip!!!)

 

I quick call to the dinning room with a brief explanation will most always get your lobster sent to your room. :)

[caprcorn28]

Thanks for that tip...but our wonderful server did have my lobster sent to my room (I had to get up in the beginning of dinner to "rescue" the CC staff from my sick children)...just not the same when it's cold and rubbery! :( Next time...two for sure :D