DEAR DR. GOTT: I guess you don’t have motion sickness. In my opinion, the worst thing you could have a kid do is look out the side window of the car. Watching the trees and things flash by would always set me off as a child, whereas looking out the windshield was fine. The best thing that helped me was having the window down and the air blowing directly on my face. Even now, if I become queasy in an airplane, adjusting the vent to blow onto my face takes care of it.

DEAR DR. GOTT: Your suggestions for the carsick child are a bit off. Looking out the side window will make the child sicker. Take it from someone who knows. A better suggestion would be to have the child ride in the middle of the back seat, where he or she can look straight ahead or up at the sky. A cool vent blowing on the child will also help. What helps me and my son the most (as we both suffer from this) is quiet music in the background with no talking. It often puts my son to sleep. We have also had success with using baby Vicks under the nose, a little swig of ginger ale before or during the ride and soda crackers, as well. Stimulation is not good, in my opinion, so the car should be kept quieter with a source of fresh air. Driving at night also reduces the amount of visual stimulation, reducing the sensation.

DEAR DR. GOTT: My daughter had the same thing as the carsick toddler. We realized early on that as long as she had carbs in her stomach, she was fine. If her stomach was empty, she would throw up everywhere. It seems counterintuitive, but it worked for us. We found that a few crackers before and during the ride worked best.

DEAR DR. GOTT: No, no, no, no! I suffered from motion sickness from the time I was a small child until a friend told me to keep my eyes on the horizon while traveling. Do NOT look out the side windows, but keep focused on something steady ahead of you. I would get terribly ill while waiting in a car at a railroad crossing if I watched a long freight go by.

I realize getting a small child to look straight ahead all the time may be difficult, but it will help. It is the reason I never got sick while driving myself and rarely if I rode in the front seat, where you tend to look ahead rather than out the side windows. Also, stop often and let the child get his “land legs” back.

I enjoy your column and have tried many of your suggestions, but this time, I must disagree based on my personal experience.

DEAR READERS: Clearly, I missed the mark on this one. As one reader pointed out, I have never had this problem. I apologize.

I have chosen to print several of the letters I received because they share themes. I have no experience with Sea Bands. Upon investigation, I found that these are simply elastic bands with a button that work on an acupressure point on the inner wrist.

Thank you all for writing. I hope your suggestions help others who suffer from motion sickness.

DEAR READER: Motion sickness is rather common and can affect people of any age. It stems from a sensitivity of the inner ear. Unfortunately, it’s more traumatic when it happens to a youngster. Symptoms can include stomach upset, loss of appetite, cold sweats and vomiting. I hear about queasy feelings more frequently from people who sit in the back seat of the car and from people who read or otherwise engage in visual and mental stimulation in an effort to pass the time. This certainly is not the case with a 2-year-old, however. A child of that age is prohibited by law from riding in the front seat for safety reasons. So let’s consider options:

Have him look out the window at passing cars, signs and people. Play a game of spotting a green car, a red wagon or a person with black hair. He might eat an hour or two before getting into the car. Bring along a water bottle so he can remain hydrated. Sing songs or listen to the radio. If he can doze off, by all means let him do so. Split the trip up into two or three segments, allowing him to get out and walk around to break the routine. In other words, focus his attention elsewhere and attempt to trick his inner ears. You may also wish to try ginger capsules, Dramamine or Benadryl.

DEAR READER:
Motion sickness may appear when the inner ear, eyes, and other areas of the body that sense movement send unexpected or conflicting messages to the brain, such as in a car when the eyes and inner ears sense motion but the body remains still. This leads to inappropriate stimulation of the ears, balance mechanisms and causes the individual to feel nauseated and/or dizzy often with vomiting. It is important to prevent symptoms because once started, it is very difficult to stop them.

Sudden onset of motion sickness is most likely due to an inner ear problem so I urge your daughter to see an ear-nose-and-throat specialist. He or she can test her for any abnormalities and provide treatment options.

While awaiting the appointment, your daughter may wish to try taking powdered ginger capsules. Many sufferers have had success in preventing motion sickness with these inexpensive pills found in most pharmacies and health food stores.

As an aside, I wonder if your daughter’s daily use of guaifenesin could be the culprit. This medication is an expectorant used to loosen phlegm and make coughs more productive. I have never heard of someone needing it on a daily basis. If she has excess mucus or a persistent cough, she needs to find out what is causing it. The ENT should also be able to assist her in this matter. ENDGOTT

Is there any medication I could take to eradicate this sensation?

DEAR READER:
Some people who enjoy open ocean cruising, find that walking normally is impossible once on board. This causes them to compensate for the seawater movement. This ability to adapt is beneficial, especially for extended cruises that last more than a few days. However, once over, many individuals experience difficulty walking on firm land again. This is because the brain has not made the transition from sea to land and thus, tells the body to walk as if aboard the ship. It may take several days before the transition takes place, leaving sufferers wobbling around and occasionally feeling nauseated and unsteady.

Many people have had success treating this sensation with motion sickness medications such as prescription Anti-Vert and over-the-counter Dramamine. I suggest you try one of these medications. If the sensation lasts longer than 3 or 4 days, you should be evaluated by your physician because of the possibility of vertigo (loss of balance) due to an internal ear problem.