Life
It's hard not to freak out when your child is sick. If they become sick during a long road trip, it makes things even more challenging. There could be a million reasons why your baby is acting miserable in the car, including the fact that they don't want to be in the car anymore. Before jumping to worst case scenario, bear in mind that just like older kids and adults, babies can get car sick too. And, thankfully, there are some tell-tale car sick symptoms in babies to watch out that will help you find the best way to make your kid feel better.
Motion sickness plagues a lot people, but why it happens to some and not others is a bit of a mystery. According to Healthline, your body gets a lot of signals from your eyes and inner ears to make you feel balanced. When these signals get confused (for example, your eyes can't see your moving, but your body feels it), you can get sick.
All of my life I have been plagued by motion sickness. I can't do anything in cars except look forward, listen to music, or talk to someone. I don't know if motion sickness is genetic, but my older daughter has had it since she was a baby. It was hard for me to figure out at first (as baby's aren't the easiest creatures to decipher), but once I did it made a world of difference because now we do a few special things before our trips to make sure she doesn't get sick. Here are five red flags that your baby isn't feeling so hot in the car.
1
They Cry In The Car
Babies cry when they're trying to tell us something, but figuring out why they're crying is key to solving the problem. If you notice that your baby cries every time you hit the road, Popsugar explained that it might be motion sickness. Additionally, if your baby cries in the car, but stops when you pull over that might be a sign that they are getting queasy in the car.
2
They Have Cold Sweats
Turns out adults aren't the only ones to get the "sick sparkles." Nausea can cause babies to develop cold sweats, according to Web MD. If you notice your baby is chilly and sweaty it might be time to roll down the windows or pull over if you're in a car.
3
Their Skin Goes Pale
You ever see someone get sick and say they "lost their color?" According to the Medline website, paleness of the face can occur when there's a loss of blood to the brain caused by a drop in blood pressure. Additionally, fainting can happen when a person gets nausea or dizzy as they start to "white out" or "black out" and lose muscle control.
4
They Aren't Hungry When You Offer Food
According to the Baby Center, babies typically will show a loss of appetite right before they throw up. As explained on the site, hunger can make nausea worse, so it's best to try to feed your baby a small snack before the trip. If you're in a car, you can always stop somewhere and grab a snack to see if it helps.
5
They Are Vomiting
Assuming your child doesn't have any other symptoms of illness, vomiting usually means your baby is suffering from motion sickness as noted in the aforementioned Baby Center article. If you have a child that's prone to motion sickness it's recommended that you consider giving them medication like Benadryl or Dramamine before a trip, bringing a bag or tupperware for them to vomit it (with a lid), and a change of clothes.
There are things you can do to minimize motion sickness in babies, but for some it's going to happen no matter what. Staying alert to the signs will help you prepare for your next trip and try out some things to see what works.
