kids and seasickness

[cruizinisthebest]

Just wondering if anyone whose cruised before with kids have any insight to offer about how to handle sea sickness. Neither of my kids are easily queasy. They don't get car sick or sick on the airplane, etc. But this is their first time cruising. Should I bother getting any meds just in case? I have no idea the cost since DH and I don't suffer from it either thank God. Or am I worrying too much? lol.

[Bibble]

Just wondering if anyone whose cruised before with kids have any insight to offer about how to handle sea sickness. Neither of my kids are easily queasy. They don't get car sick or sick on the airplane, etc. But this is their first time cruising. Should I bother getting any meds just in case? I have no idea the cost since DH and I don't suffer from it either thank God. Or am I worrying too much? lol.

 

My daughter doesn't get car sick or airplanes or roller coasters... but one cruise, she was 6, she started feeling "weird", in her words. I got her the seabands (the wrist bands) and those seemed to help her. I didn't want to give her any real medicine unless I needed to, and thankfully I didn't need to. It wouldn't hurt to get a pair and just pack them.

[JP4GA]

It is better to pack medications, or have seabands just in case. If you have to get meds from sick bay or the ship store you will pay an arm and a leg. We don't usually get sea sick but I always pack medications just in case. On our last cruise we hit some rough waters and we all got a sick. I was glad I had packed the medications. We knew it was bad when we walked the halls and they had "puke bags" placed on every hall and in elevators.

[frayedend]

I would take meds just in case. But that being said, my son gets seasick on fishing boats and gets car sick if he's in the back seat too long. But he has never been sick on a cruise (3 of them for him so far).

[bitemyfly]

I would check with their doctor

If he suggests taking mechlizine, Bonine, Dramamine

Pack them and see how they do

If they do need it it good to give them at night as some make them tired until they get used it..

Enjoy

[MYRN1]

I basically get sick on any water craft. On our first cruise about 14 years ago, I thought I'd be fine...nope! I now start before we even get to the pier. I have a long history of motion sickness. It started way back when I was a wee tot in the car. I am fine now in the car, and most carnival/amusement park rides, but I haven't gone on a whirly-whirly ride in quite some time so I'm not sure, but my best guess is yes it would make me ill.

 

Neither of my kids have this lovely affliction. The only issue I have had with the anti nausea meds(bonnie, dramamine etc) is that even though they clam not to induce drowsiness, with me, they do. I guess with kids that might not be such a bad thing, lol.

[Twinzma]

I always bring seasickness pills just in case. But I really think the key to them working is not to wait until you get sick to take them. So if it appears that it's going to be really rough, break them out. But before you try any new meds at sea, I'd give them a dose at home first to try it out....I wouldn't want to risk an adverse reaction away from home.

 

Also, keep in mind there are natural ways too to help, ginger for example is supposed to be really good. Keep reading these boards. There is lots of information and tips posted to keep the seasickness at bay.

[WAHMto5]

I always bring them "just in case"! Our one son that doe's get car sick, ect.. has never been sick on the ship so far. All of the kids have been fine so far, though you never know;)

[Gopherpharm]

Just check with your pediatrician or pharmacist before trying anything...some of the medications for adults can't just be given in smaller doses to kids.

 

Try non medicinal options first, and remember the power of suggestion- if they hear you talking about being seasick or worried that they will be seasick, they're more likely to think about it and feel seasick! Focus on the fun.

[TexCrsr]

My youngest son always gets motion sick on long car rides, amusement parks and on his grandfathers Boston Whaler when they go out. I enjoy cruising but was so worried he would be sick the entire trip. We got him the Sea Bands and he wore them all the time. I was so surprised when there was just one day he was really down with seasickness. We were on the small Carnival Holiday and the ocean was very rough and I would say more people were sick than were feeling good that day. So when he comes along so do the Seabands. The ship we were on also offered Ginger Ale so he had that and saltines. Poor thing. But really unless the sea is just a rolling and you are on a tiny ship the seabands really work great.

[scullymom]

We had seabands for all of us and we thought near the end that we were all doing fine so we took them off. My son got sick on the very last night. We'll wear our seabands next time!

[taszmom]

Ginger capsules. I sometimes get seasick so for preventative maintenance, I take 2 before we leave out of Florida because the gulfstream can be a little rough. Once out to open ocean I am usually fine. All natural, no side effects, no drugs. If your kid can't swallow pills like my DD, you can open them up and put the powder into some ginger ale sode and let them drink it. I swear by them. I was on an NCL cruise one March (which is notoriously windy month here in FL) and the waves were crashing into the MDR windows on deck 5. The MDR was completely empty because of it and I sat through a very lovely dinner.

[cruse2loose]

None of us had ever cruised and we sure did not want to get sick. We got bonine, and started taking it 2 nights before the cruise. We took it at night, in case of any side effects. It worked as none of us were sick at all. they also say to drink apple juice or eat a apple will help if you feel queasy.:)

[mosel]

My son get motion sickness all the time. OTC meds made him a Zombie until we discovered the wonder of Ginger pills. He takes them before he gets on the ship and a couple times during the day. Also takes them on any long car trip. This was also tested by Myth Busters on one of their shows and their conclusion it was the best antidote for seasickness. We already knew that because our son had been using Ginger for years. Any form of Ginger will work if they are too young to swallow pills. Cindy

[LuvMoMoCow]

Will have to check into the ginger pills. My boys are both fine in the car, UNLESS they are reading or playing a video game. Therefore, I am worries they will be seasick on our upcoming cruise.

[cdancer20]

Excuse the newbie question, but what is a seaband?

[VPMJ]

Our family of four cruised last year, it was the first time for the kids. We all had Seabands on, just in case. The seas the first night were very rough, and we all got very queasy during dinner. On the way back to the room I asked who wanted bonine and I heard three "me's" in harmony, And of course I needed one also, LOL! I had purchased the children's Bonine on Amazon, it was very hard to find in stores. It is supposed to make you less drowsy then Dramamine. It worked for us right away! I say go prepared with Seabands and Bonine!

[VPMJ]

Cdancer20, They are fabric/elastic bracelets that have a small plastic bead on them. The bead applies a slight pressure to your inner wrist and is supposed to be a natural way to prevent seasickness.

[cdancer20]

Oh. Thanks! Where do you purchase them?

[cruizinisthebest]

Thanks folks for all the responses! I definitely plan to check with their doc to be sure, but I wanted to see about any natural methods that can be used just in case. Am I correct in assuming you can purchase the seabands from any drugstore? What about ginger pills and the Bonine?

[kabell99]

Thanks folks for all the responses! I definitely plan to check with their doc to be sure, but I wanted to see about any natural methods that can be used just in case. Am I correct in assuming you can purchase the seabands from any drugstore? What about ginger pills and the Bonine?

 

All can be purchased at the drug store. I'm another Ginger cheerleader here. My DH and I start a day or two before taking the ginger. DD started feeling sick on her last cruise, but was too young to swallow the large pills. It tasted nasty, but we opened the capsule into a bit of water and it worked like a charm. I also bring Dramamine just in case. A little off topic, but it never hurts to also pack some cold medicine. I've gotten sick on two cruises and everything costs an arm and a leg!

[vacationmom0103]

Last August I purchased 25 mg tablets of Meclazine to prevent motion sickness. I think I paid $8 for 100 pills. I called my pediatrician and he said it was fine to give my boys ( ages 7 and 8) half a pill each every day...STARTING 2 days prior to boarding as you need to prevent seasickness not cure it. Totally thrilled with the Meclazine...no one got sick and I didn't find it to cause drowsiness either. I didn't use the sea bands because I was afraid the kids might move them or take them off and I really didn't want to deal with a seasick child. Happy Cruisin'

[cruse2loose]

Bonine at Walmart or Walgreens, or the generic motion sickness. It does make some droozy, another reason why we take it at night.

[labsnabys]

Thanks folks for all the responses! I definitely plan to check with their doc to be sure, but I wanted to see about any natural methods that can be used just in case. Am I correct in assuming you can purchase the seabands from any drugstore? What about ginger pills and the Bonine?

 

I picked up Seabands and Bonine in the OTC drug section at our Walmart here in the Nevada desert, so I am sure they are available just about anywhere. Our two boys had no issues at all on the ship, but I had things on hand just in case. Strangely enough, they both got queasy AFTER we got home with the adjustment back to walking on land! LOL

[copref]

Apples or applesauce works. Our son got sea sick on one of the cruises and he's very limited in what he can take because of the prescription medications he's on so the crew told us to get him apples or applesauce and after a little rest he was fine the rest of the trip.