The constant motion of being in a car can cause many young children to feel sick. Car sickness is most common among children between the ages of 2 to 12. Catering to a child that struggles with car sickness can be difficult when you're traveling. If you don't have a car of your own, you might want to consider calling a taxi instead to reduce the amount of time that the child would otherwise have to sit in traffic. To make the experience much more comfortable and easy to handle, consider implementing the following 3 tips.
Let Them Munch on Crackers, But Keep the Taxi Clean
Many physicians recommend letting the child munch on some type of cracker while they are sitting in the vehicle. It will help settle their stomach. You should also make sure that your child never travels on an empty stomach, and that you avoid feeding them hard-to-digest foods before the ride. Pack some crackers with you just in case their stomachs start to feel a bit queasy.
Although crackers might be very effective in settling their stomachs, crackers are also messy to eat. Don't expect your child not to make a mess. Help the taxi driver out by bringing a towel for your child to sit on. The towel will catch all of the crumbs.
Ask the Taxi to Provide Forward Facing Car Seats and to Drive Slowly
If your child is still young and requires a car seat, call the taxi company ahead of time to make proper arrangements. The taxi company will do their best to send you a taxi driver that has a car seat in their vehicle. It's best to specify that you would like a forward facing car seat, as backward facing car seats can emphasize the vehicle's motion. If the taxi company sent a van to your location, you also want to avoid placing the car seat at the very rear of the car.
Let the taxi driver know about your child's condition, and ask that they drive slowly and smoothly. They should avoid braking and swaying. If you want to be extra sure that your child will have a better experience, ask the taxi company to send a taxi that has just gotten their suspension system replaced or upgraded in recent months. Old and worn down suspension systems will just make the experience much worse.
Open the Windows for Fresh Air and Keep Your Child Distracted
Open the window closest to your child to let in some fresh air if symptoms of car sickness are beginning to emerge and appear. The fresh air should help them feel a bit more relaxed and comfortable, and should keep most of the more severe symptoms at bay. If the symptoms continue to worsen, ask the taxi driver to open the front windows as well. The more fresh air that your child gets, the better they will feel.
You should also take this opportunity to try and keep your child distracted. Tell your child to look at the horizon while the taxi is in motion and point out different interesting buildings and events that you come across during the ride. This will also help make taxi rides a lot more enjoyable and fun for your child.
If you're travelling with a child that struggles with car sickness, let the taxi company and driver know ahead of time, so they have ample time to make the arrangements needed. If nothing seems to work, you might even want to consider bringing your child to see a pediatrician. The pediatrician might prescribe some medications that can help alleviate the symptoms experienced.
To learn more about taxi services, visit resources like http://www.whitetopcab.com.
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