There are things you can try ahead of the journey to help children with travel sickness

• Give your youngster a light, carb-based snack before travelling such as cereal or crackers. Avoid anything ‘too heavy’.²
• Plan several stops into your journey time for fresh air, a little walk and refreshment such as water.
• Being elevated so your child can see through the window to the horizon may help so safety seats and booster seats can come in handy.²

Once you’re travelling on your way…

• Don’t take any strong-smelling food in the car and avoiding smoking, petrol or diesel fumes if possible.²
• Where you sit can make a difference, if your child is old enough, they may feel better sat in the front of the car. For planes over the wing can help as can being on deck in the middle of a boat.⁴
• Keep youngsters distracted and entertained with music, singing, I Spy and podcasts to stop them from looking down. Books, phones, tablets and gaming consoles are not recommended for those prone to travel sickness.²
• If nausea starts to creep in, ginger in the form of a biscuit or tea is a good tip to try.⁵

If self-help tips aren’t working, don’t worry, you can speak to your local pharmacist for advice.⁵

They’ll want to know³:

• How old your child is
• Any previous history
• How you’re travelling such as car, plane, boat
• How long you’ll be travelling for
• Any medication history

They can provide information and advice on suitable over-the-counter remedies which may be able to help⁵ such as Kwells Kids Travel Sickness 150 microgram tablets*.

Because Kwells tablets melt in the mouth, absorption into the bloodstream is very rapid and they can be taken up to 20–30 minutes before travelling or at the onset of sickness.

The active substance in Kwells tablets is hyoscine hydrobromide which temporarily reduces the effect of movement on the balance organs of the inner ear and the nerves responsible for nausea.

*Kwells 300 microgram tablets. For the prevention of travel sickness, suitable for adults and children aged 10+. Contains Hyoscine Hydrobromide 300 microgram. Kwells Kids 150 microgram tablets. For the prevention of travel sickness, suitable for children aged 4+. Contains Hyoscine Hydrobromide 150 microgram. Always read the label.

If you have any doubts about using Kwells tablets correctly, seek the advice of your pharmacist or doctor.

On the road

Are you sitting comfortably? Your sitting position really can make a difference to preventing and easing travel sickness.

Try to get a clear view of a window and sit with your head tilted back to stabilise the balancing mechanism in the ear.

Have a window open if possible or get the air flowing through the vents or air conditioning to keep the vehicle well ventilated. It’s best to avoid reading or looking at phones and tablets if possible.

Try to focus on a stable object such as the horizon, close your eyes or perhaps have a little snooze.

Find out more about car sickness here.

In the air

There’s nothing worse than feeling ill on a plane. You’re often cramped, aircraft toilets are the last place you want to be and there’s no opportunity to pull into the nearest layby – let alone the embarrassment of throwing-up in front of an audience of strangers!

Therefore, it’s best to do everything you can to prevent symptoms occurring in the first place. If possible, opt for a seat in the middle of the plane as this is where you’ll experience the least movement.⁵

A pillow or headrest will help to keep your head as still as possible and might even help you to nod off.⁵ Try to relax and keep calm by focusing on your breathing. You could also try carrying out a mental activity such as counting backwards from 100!⁵  Sucking a boiled sweet can ease the pressure on your ears during take-off and landing which may help to prevent or ease symptoms.

Riding the wave

Again, there’s no escape when you’re aboard a boat and choppy waters can make for an uncomfortable journey if you’re prone to motion sickness.

Avoiding alcohol and large meals before your journey is wise, particularly if you’re likely to encounter turbulent weather.⁶

On a boat trip, try to sit in the middle of the boat where you’ll feel less motion or head out on deck to get some fresh air. If you’re staying overnight, you could choose a cabin in the middle of the ship.³

Try to avoid areas where you can smell engine fumes as these types of odours can trigger motion sickness.³

Keeping your eyes closed or sleep. Listening to music or a podcast can be good distraction and a great way to zone out from the journey.³

Find out more about sea sickness here.

On track

Some people find they’re less prone to travel sickness on trains as they’re often able to look out of the window more easily.

You may find sitting in a carriage near the front of the train where it’s more stable helps to stave off symptoms. You could also opt for a seat near the doors so you can experience fresh air every time the train stops.

Try to stay seated as much as possible so you feel less motion than you would standing and look out of the window and focus on the horizon if you do start to feel motion sickness creeping in. If self-help methods aren’t working Kwells Adults Travel Sickness 300 microgram tablets⁷ or Kwells Kids Travel Sickness 150 microgram tablets⁸ may be able to help.

The active substance in Kwells tablets is hyoscine hydrobromide. Hyoscine hydrobromide temporarily reduces the effect of movement on the balance organs of the inner ear and the nerves responsible for nausea. Because Kwells tablets melt in the mouth, absorption into the bloodstream is very rapid and they can be taken up to 20–30 minutes before travelling or at the onset of sickness.

Always read the label. If you have any doubts about using Kwells tablets correctly, seek the advice of your pharmacist or doctor.

Once you’re travelling on your way…

• Don’t take any strong-smelling food in the car and avoiding smoking, petrol or diesel fumes if possible.²
• Where you sit can make a difference, if your child is old enough, they may feel better sat in the front of the car. For planes over the wing can help as can being on deck in the middle of a boat.⁴
• Keep youngsters distracted and entertained with music, singing, I Spy and podcasts to stop them from looking down. Books, phones, tablets and gaming consoles are not recommended for those prone to travel sickness.²
• If nausea starts to creep in, ginger in the form of a biscuit or tea is a good tip to try.⁵

Things to avoid while travelling:

Whether it’s a book, magazine, phone, or tablet, save it for when you get to your destination.

Avoid strong smelling food, smoke, perfume, or petrol fumes.

Things to try:

• Listening to an audiobook, podcast or music instead of reading.
• Closing your eyes as this could help to reduce the confusing motion messages in the brain.²
• Try sleeping as it helps the brain to switch off.²
• Breathe in fresh air whenever possible.

There are things you can try ahead of the journey to help children with travel sickness

• Give your youngster a light, carb-based snack before travelling such as cereal or crackers. Avoid anything ‘too heavy’.²
• Plan several stops into your journey time for fresh air, a little walk and refreshment such as water.
• Being elevated so your child can see through the window to the horizon may help so safety seats and booster seats can come in handy.²

Once you’re travelling on your way…

• Don’t take any strong-smelling food in the car and avoiding smoking, petrol or diesel fumes if possible.²
• Where you sit can make a difference, if your child is old enough, they may feel better sat in the front of the car. For planes over the wing can help as can being on deck in the middle of a boat.⁴
• Keep youngsters distracted and entertained with music, singing, I Spy and podcasts to stop them from looking down. Books, phones, tablets and gaming consoles are not recommended for those prone to travel sickness.²
• If nausea starts to creep in, ginger in the form of a biscuit or tea is a good tip to try.⁵

Things to avoid while travelling:

Whether it’s a book, magazine, phone, or tablet, save it for when you get to your destination.

Avoid strong smelling food, smoke, perfume, or petrol fumes.

Things to try:

• Listening to an audiobook, podcast or music instead of reading.
• Closing your eyes as this could help to reduce the confusing motion messages in the brain.²
• Try sleeping as it helps the brain to switch off.²
• Breathe in fresh air whenever possible.