We're not talking about Green Eggs & Ham... we're talking about motion sickness!
TRAVERSE CITY -- With Summer travel in full swing, we're talking about motion sickness in this week's House Call.
"Motion sickness is common in kids as well as adults traveling by car or plane or train or boat," said Dr. Jennifer Schell with the Traverse Area Pediatric & Adolescent Clinic.
Although Dr. Schell says motion sickness is usually nothing more than a minor nuisance, it can also become rather severe with symptoms like nausea, upset stomach, dizziness, headache, becoming clammy and pale, and vomiting. And who wants that in their car on a long road trip?
"Fortunately, infants under two usually don't get car sick, but it is common (up to 50% of kids) between four and 10 to have symptoms of motion sickness," said Dr. Schell. "And it's more common in girls of any age."
Dr. Schell says the she thinks this could be related to a disconnect between what they are seeing and what our body is sensing.
"Our body perceives we are stable or stationery, while our eyes tell us we are moving," said Dr. Schell.
Dr. Schell also says motion sickness may be related to migraines, so if they run in your family, your kids may be predisposed to motion sickness. She also says if your kids have bad motion sickness, they may go on to develop migraines later.
For more information about motion sickness, prevention and treatment, click the video above.
For more information on the Traverse Area Pediatric & Adolescent Clinic, click here or call 231-421-8099.
