Tips to Help Children Who Suffer Car Sickness

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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina

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Car sickness has as much to do with the body's own sensory overload as it does with the motion of the car. While the brain is telling the body "we're moving," your actions -- like reading a book -- may be feeding the brain an entirely different message.

Dr. Don Bradley, chief medical director at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, offers the following tips to head off or avoid sickness in a car.

• Know the warning signs; children become sweaty and pale, restless or yawn a lot
• Stop frequently, and at the first signs of sickness
• Before leaving home, offer a light snack like crackers
• Avoid smoking in the car
• Avoid strong-smelling foods in the car
• Elevate your child -- with approved child safety seats -- so they can see the horizon through the windshield. The center of the back seat is best.

If your child does become sick, Dr. Bradley suggests stopping immediately and letting the child lie down until the dizziness and sickness subside.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is the state's largest health insurer, with 1.6 million members and a 65-year history of providing quality, affordable health care coverage for North Carolinians. BCBSNC is one of five health plans in North Carolina to earn three-year, Full Accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), an independent, not-for-profit organization that evaluates managed care companies.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. BCBSNC can be accessed online at http://www.bcbsnc.com.

CONTACT: Fred Hartman, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, 919-765-4933

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Dec. 29, 1998