Buying guide for Best motion sickness relief for kids
If your child suffers from motion sickness, car rides, plane trips, and cruise voyages are a challenge. Nausea, dizziness, and vomiting are no fun for anyone, which is why children’s motion sickness relievers are something every parent and caregiver should consider.
Children’s motion sickness relievers are specially formulated with ingredients that are gentle on stomachs while reducing symptoms. In fact, these over-the-counter remedies are available in a variety of forms to accommodate children who have difficulty taking medication. In addition to chewable tablets, there are liquid formulas, lollipops, acupressure bands, and even aromatherapy devices. Motion sickness relief formulas come in kid-friendly favors to make each dosage flavorful in mango, cherry, or grape.
Key considerations
About motion sickness
Motion sickness is caused by a disturbance of the inner ear induced by repeated motion in a car, boat, or train. It’s exacerbated by sharp, jarring turns and can cause vomiting, nausea, and dizziness. Symptoms can last long enough to detract from the enjoyment of an outing or vacation, which is why motion sickness relief is an essential treatment. Most formulas are fast-acting, so your child can experience relief within ten minutes to an hour.
Formula types
Chewable tablets: The most popular form of children’s motion sickness relief is chewable tablets. Since they’re chewable, they’re absorbed into the bloodstream more quickly than regular tablets. The trick with these is finding a flavor your child likes. As the consistency is pretty chalky and has a medicinal feel to it, a fun flavor helps mask those details.
Liquid: Liquid formulas are best if your child has difficulty swallowing or doesn’t have enough teeth to for chewable tablets. These packages typically come with premeasured cups to make dosage easy. The downside to liquid formulas is the fact that most flavors have a medicinal aftertaste, so children may have a tough time keeping it down if they’re already nauseated. Certain liquid formulas also contain alcohol, which is a dealbreaker for some parents.
Acupressure bands: Children who aren’t partial to oral medication do well with acupressure bands. These wearable devices are non-invasive motion sickness treatments that target pressure points to deliver body-wide relief. They’re designed like athletic sweatbands and feature sewn-in acupressure knobs that are placed over the wrist. Unlike other motion sickness relief options, they’re washable and reusable, so you get your money’s worth.
Aromatherapy devices: For a more homeopathic approach to quelling symptoms, there are aromatherapy devices. These are usually in the form of inhalers or essential oil diffusers that utilize specific smells like mint, lavender, and eucalyptus to manage symptoms. There are compact versions that are the size of lip balm containers, so they’re easy to carry in your bag.
Candies: If your child is averse to medication of all forms, try going the candy route for motion sickness relief. These formulas place a focus on flavor to mask any medicinal smell or taste and come in lozenge or lollipop form. They tend to have the greatest flavor variety, especially since they include four to five in each package. Unfortunately, candy formulas often contain quite a bit of sugar or artificial sweetener.
Expert tip
Store the medications at room temperature.
BestReviews Medical Expert
Safety precautions
It’s important to review the ingredients list in the motion sickness reliever you choose for your child to assess whether there are potential interactions with any medication they’re taking. It’s recommended to discuss drug interactions with your doctor and pharmacist before introducing these — or any other over-the-counter drugs — to your child.
Features
Ingredients
Active ingredients: The most common active ingredients in children’s motion sickness relievers include dimenhydrinate and ginger. Some formulas contain essential oils like rosemary or plant-derived active ingredients such as nux vomica, tabacum, or cocculus indicus.
Inactive ingredients: The inactive ingredients list varies the most among formulas. You often find xanthan gum, sugar, corn syrup, citric acid, maltodextrin, and artificial colors and flavors.
Expert tip
Do not give antihistamines to children who have a sensitivity to passing out.
BestReviews Medical Expert
Flavors
One of the most important features of children’s motion sickness relievers is the flavor. Some children are fussy when it comes to taking medicine, which is magnified when they’re nauseated. As a result, formulas use kid-friendly flavors to make taking them more pleasant. Grape and cherry are the most popular, followed by tropical fruit flavors.
Children’s motion sickness reliever prices
Children’s motion sickness relievers cost between $3 and $15, depending on the nature of the formula.
Inexpensive
For $3 to $6, you find motion sickness relief tablets. Travel-size packages of premium brands in this range include around a dozen tablets. You get 30 or more from lesser-known brands.
Mid-range
For $6 to $10 are deluxe tablet packages as well as acupressure bands. There are some liquid formulas in this range.
Expensive
For $10 to $15 you can find the bulk of liquid formulas. There are also lollipops, aromatherapy treatments, and some tablets with higher concentrations of active ingredients.
Tips
- Keep some in your car. If your child is prone to motion sickness, keep tablets in your car. They can get lost when you change bags or purses, so it’s best to keep them in a glove compartment or center console.
- Try different flavors. Many motion sickness relief formulas have flavor varieties, and your child may be partial to some of them. The more they enjoy the flavor, the more likely they can take the formula with ease.
- Check drug interactions. As with any other supplement or over-the-counter treatment, check whether the motion sickness reliever interacts with medication your child takes.
FAQ
Q. Can I take my child’s motion sickness reliever?
A. You can. You need to refer to the package or manufacturer’s website regarding the recommended dosage for adults. Keep in mind that it may mean taking several tablets or tablespoons of a liquid formula. You’ll go through a package much faster by sharing it with your child. Consider the difference in dosages between children’s and adult motion sickness relievers if you require one for travel.
Expert tip
To ensure there are no overdoses, store these medications away from kids as most taste like candy.
BestReviews Medical Expert
Q. Am I allowed to bring motion sickness relievers on a plane?
A. Tablet and lollipop formulas are usually fine. Liquid formulas can be problematic if the bottle is larger than the standard 3.4 ounces allowed by TSA. The bottle has to be plastic, as no glass bottles of any size are allowed on planes.
Q. What’s the best motion sickness reliever for my child to bring to camp or daycare?
A. It’s important to discuss motion sickness relievers with educators and counselors so they’re aware of your child’s needs. Depending on their medication policy, they may be able to dispense tablets or liquid formulas with your permission. If they’re not allowed to dispense them, your best option is to give your child an acupressure band, as it’s low-maintenance and doesn’t require any permission.
