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Motion Sickness - Western Paediatric Physiotherapy
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Motion Sickness

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04 Jul Motion Sickness

Posted at 15:02h in Children's Physiotherapy by
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Motion sickness is an unpleasant experience that most of us have had and something that we certainly wouldn’t wish upon our children. To help your children to prevent or at least manage motion sickness on your next trip, you first need to understand the cause.

Motion sickness is a sensory issue that is thought to occur when there is a mismatch between the information the brain receives in relation to balance and movement (located in the inner ear) and what the eyes’ see. There is basically a clash of incoming sensory information that your brain is unable to easily process. For example, if the eyes are telling the brain that an object being focused on is stationary but the balance mechanism of the inner ear senses head movements, then this is thought to cause a mismatch of information, leading to motion sickness. Children between the ages of two and twelve are particularly prone to motion sickness.

Whilst travelling in any mode of transport there are multiple pieces of sensory information being processed by the brain – visual, auditory, touch, smell, taste as well as any movements the child is making. With all of this conflicting incoming information how can we help our children to reduce the risk or severity of motion sickness?

There are a few techniques that can help:

  • During travel, get your child to focus on a “fixed” object, such as the horizon rather than focusing on objects that are moving with the interior of the mode of transport.
  • If possible, allow your child to sit in the front seat so that they can look out the front window, rather than watching things fly past.
  • Get your child to close their eyes to help eliminate some sensory conflict
  • Allow plenty of fresh air in
  • Get your child to focus on their breathing (this can also be helpful with eyes closed)
  • Use relaxation techniques, as anxiety can make symptoms worse.

It should also be noted that watching a movie can also bring on the feelings of motion sickness.

If you’re planning a trip, speak to one of our experienced paediatric physiotherapists in Hoppers Crossing for more advice on how to improve the journey for your children. Call us today on (03) 8001 2042.

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