Travel Sickness: As I child I was always travel sick. My mother used to tell me that I'd grow out of it but as I'm now 42 and still suffering, can I ever expect it to go away?
As you will know from past experience, mothers have the reputation of being right most of the time. Unfortunately, this is one of the times when she may be wrong.
Many children are affected by the motion on a boat, a car or in a plane and although most grow out of the problem, there are a minority for whom the problem persists into adulthood.
What causes the problem?
The problem arises in the semicircular canals of the ear which are set deep in the skull bone and act as the body's balancing mechanism.
They are affected by the vibrations and movement of travel.
Some people have sensitive ear canals and are more prone to sickness especially when undertaking certain types of journey. Travelling by boat with its rolling motion or negotiating twisting hills by car commonly bring on feelings of nausea and dizziness.
Other symptoms include weakness, lethargy and vomiting.
In children, the early signs of travel sickness are usually pallor, drowsiness and sudden silence from a normally talkative child.
Have you any suggestions as to how I can control this?
Try relaxation exercises; they may put you in a more relaxed frame of mind before your journey.
Don't read or do anything that requires close visual concentration but rather focus your eyes towards a object in the distance. Lying down helps rest the inner ear canals and can reduce the urge to vomit.
Try to eat a light meal an hour or so before your journey gets underway but don't drink too much. Avoid milky drinks, greasy food or large volumes of food.
Nibbling on dry biscuits or sucking glucose sweets during the journey may help.
I have never taken medication for travel sickness. Do they work?
Oral preparations or skin patches for travel sickness are available. Some have to be taken about an hour before you travel and the dose repeated depending on the length of the trip.
Other medications contain antihistamines which cause drowsiness and although this may be of benefit if given to the travel-sick child, it may not suit an adult.
Talk to your family doctor before you embark on you next holiday; he should be able to prescribe something suitable to help. Bon Voyage!