Sea-sickness for kids?

[elmom]

Our daughter gets motion sick and is very, very grumpy when she doesn't feel well. So I want to come out swinging as far as motion sickness goes. What works with your kids? (age 5 and 6)

 

I was thinking bonine for kids in the morning, benedryl at night and then peppermint and ginger candies as needed?

[cb at sea]

Sounds right...bring the things you think you'll need.,..,she may be so busy that she doesn't notice any motion...and if it's calm, that's quite likely!

[elmom]

she whines and cries for a week about a mosquito bite lol

[seashinesunshine]

Remember also that being hungry makes it worse, not that there is a lack of food, but keep some crackers or something for her. The motion on the ship is much better than in a car, so maybe she will be fine. My son wore Sea Bands at age 8, but they don't make child size so they may not be small enough for her. I use them also and they work really well!

[Sugar*Magnolia]

Our daughter gets motion sick and is very, very grumpy when she doesn't feel well. So I want to come out swinging as far as motion sickness goes. What works with your kids? (age 5 and 6)

 

I was thinking bonine for kids in the morning, benedryl at night and then peppermint and ginger candies as needed?

 

Ginger root liquid extract if you dont want the added sugar from ginger candy. You can buy it at a health food store. We found ginger works best for my son. Hope that helps.

 

CruiseDivaNJ

[fritolayNY]

Our daughter gets motion sick and is very, very grumpy when she doesn't feel well. So I want to come out swinging as far as motion sickness goes. What works with your kids? (age 5 and 6)

 

I was thinking bonine for kids in the morning, benedryl at night and then peppermint and ginger candies as needed?

 

My daughter does too but she took her first cruise last year at the age of 7 and didnt experience motion sickness on the ship, just in the car to and from. Hoping the seas are calm for you:).

[nana of 3]

We just called our family doc and got prescription dramamine for our DD 9. Tested it last week to make sure it wasn't going to knock him out, he's a bit too big for me to carry around, lol. Maybe you could call your doc.

[slduck]

My dd who is a very small 10 year old wore sea bands the first night. That was the only problem night that she had. She is on a medication that tends to make her nausesuous anyway.

 

We also used ginger gum and peppermint. I am definitely going to talk to the doctor before we cruise again in May.

[SuzanneH]

I was just getting ready to post this same question when I found this thread- thank you :)!! My only concern is my DS is 8 and when I looked at the directions on Bonine (which works well for me) says not to give it to kids under 12 :o. Dramamine totally knocks him out. He has had issues with seasickness before, but that was on a fishing boat in Alaska. I am not sure if he will have issues on the ship, as this is his first cruise, but I want to be prepared. I do see that Bonine makes a kid's version, but it is a different medication. Anyone used the kid's version with good luck? THANKS :D!

[alj1208]

Talk to your pediatrician. Ours told us to use dramamine or benadryl (same active ingredients) for our 4 year old DS. Our ped gave us the doses for his weight, so that we weren't guessing. We were in W. Caribbean in March with calm seas except for two days. During the first rougher day, I did give DS some benadryl just in case, but he didn't appear sick, so I didn't give it after that. I was feeling the motion, however (I get really seasick), and had a prescription for Scopace pills (same stuff that's in the patch only in pill form). Those pills saved me on the rougher days! For me, it's about making sure I'm not sick so that I can care for my child and make sure he has what he needs.

[Sugar*Magnolia]

The CDC web site has suggestions and guidelines too.

[Onessa]

Our DD got motion sickness in cars when she was little. No problem on the ship though. She has had problems on the tenders, so we make certain to sit far to the aft and she uses candied ginger and is then ok on those trips.

[kimmimom]

in the middle of our first night on board. She threw up once. I think it was likely frmo all she had eaten versus seasickness. We got free chewables from the infirmary (heard they aren't free anymore) and gave her one each night (supposed to be twice a day), but she never felt sick again. I think it is now "in her head" so we bought Bonine chewables for this trip(She is 12) since we heard they aren't handing them out free any longer.

[mom2sz]

We've found that green apples and crackers has worked well with our kids. Ginger ale worked well with my husband. We just came back from a cruise where we hit rough seas one day. We saw plenty of kids walking around with green apples. :) I agree that you should probably check with your pediatrician, just in case.

[ajpmom]

I gave my 10 year old son Drammine each night when he went to bed and he had no trouble. He gets sick very easy.

 

My Mom went to the front desk and they gave her chewable pills and she said they worked better than the Drammine. They were free last year.

 

We go to Alaska this summer and I will be giving him a Drammine each night when he goes to bed.

[lgionet]

The "pressure-point" bracelets and green apples work for my son.

[Corntea]

I am NOT a pediatrician, but talk to yours about Zofran. It is a disolving tablet that you place under your tongue (tastes like strawberry). It is made to handle nausea, and it worked for my (then) two year old.

[ellej]

Or "pressure-point bracelets" as someone mentioned. If my child were 5 or 6, I would use this in a heartbeat!! (He is only 18 months and we're about to go on a cruise, and I'm still bringing sea bands for him...just not sure they will fit/stay on with his little wrists!) I think 5 or 6 years old would be perfect though!

 

Bring the meds as back-ups, but just start with the sea-bands and put them on a couple hours BEFORE you even board. You can usually buy these at Walgreens, CVS, Rite-Aid, etc...

 

I am the most car-sick, motion-sick, sea-sick person out there!! But the sea bands work wonders!!! (They even recommend them to pregnant women with nausea...they have pressure points on your wrists that are scientific to stop nausea).

 

I have never gotten sea-sick on a boat if I put on sea-bands first. I have only worn them the first day and night and into the 2nd day, and then by then, I take them off, and it's great! I don't know what I would do without those things!

 

I'm sure proper dosage is important and I know there is non-drowsy dramamine, but I am super sensitive to meds (and I know little stomachs must be too!), so I would just have it on hand as a last resort. I have also personally been drowsy even with the non-drowsy formula, and it doesn't lead to having good energy on the cruise. You do what you gotta do if your sick, but the non-medicated options are great!!

 

Have an amazing trip!!

Cheers! :)