Why Do Some Kids Get Carsick and Others Don't? Plus, Natural Car Sickness Remedies That May Help

For some kids, car travel is completely comfortable. For others, it is a reliable source of misery: nausea, dizziness, headaches, and sometimes vomiting.

If you have a child who gets carsick, you know how stressful it can be to make even short trips. And if you've ever wondered why some kids seem completely immune while others struggle every single time, the answer lies in the way the brain processes movement and sensory information.

In this article, you'll learn what is happening in the body during motion sickness, why children tend to be more susceptible than adults, what may make some kids more prone than others, and some practical natural strategies that may make car travel significantly more manageable.

Car sickness is a form of motion sickness. In most cases, it is a normal physiological response to a particular combination of movement and sensory input rather than a sign that something is wrong.

One of the leading explanations for motion sickness is sensory conflict theory. The brain is constantly receiving information from several systems, including the vestibular system in the inner ear, which detects movement and balance; the visual system, which processes what the eyes see; and proprioception, which gives the brain information about the body's position in space (1).

Under normal circumstances, these systems give the brain a fairly consistent picture of what the body is doing.

In a moving car, however, those signals can disagree.

The inner ear detects that the body is accelerating, turning, slowing down, and moving through space. But if a child is looking down at a book or screen or focusing primarily on the relatively stationary interior of the car, the eyes may be telling the brain something very different.

That sensory mismatch can trigger the collection of symptoms we recognize as motion sickness, including nausea, dizziness, pallor, sweating, fatigue, and sometimes vomiting (1).

One proposed evolutionary theory suggests that this type of sensory mismatch may have resembled the neurological effects of ingesting a toxin, potentially explaining why nausea and vomiting became part of the body's response. This remains a theory rather than a proven explanation, but it is an interesting example of just how deeply motion sickness may be wired into human physiology.

Motion sickness susceptibility changes considerably with age.

Research involving thousands of children found that motion sickness was most frequent between approximately 4 and 13 years of age, while symptom severity was particularly pronounced around ages 6 to 9. Susceptibility generally declined during adolescence (2).

Very young children appear to be less susceptible, while many children who struggle significantly with car sickness during elementary school find that it becomes much less of an issue as they enter their teenage years.

Exactly why this happens is still being studied.

The brain has to learn how to integrate information coming from the eyes, inner ear, and body into a coherent understanding of movement. As children mature and accumulate more experience with motion, this sensory integration and adaptation can improve.

That may be one reason many children appear to gradually "grow out of" car sickness.

You might like this article, too: Vomiting in Infants and Children: Potential Causes, Home Care Tips, & When To Call a Doctor

You can have two children sitting side by side in the same car, on the same winding road, and one can happily read for hours while the other turns pale within twenty minutes.

There are several reasons susceptibility to car sickness can differ so dramatically.

Genetics appear to play an important role in susceptibility to car sickness.

A twin study estimated that genetic factors accounted for approximately 57% of variation in adult motion sickness susceptibility and approximately 70% of recalled childhood susceptibility (3).

A separate genome-wide association study involving more than 80,000 individuals identified 35 genetic variants associated with motion sickness susceptibility. Several of these were located near genes involved in areas such as inner-ear development, balance, neurological processes, and glucose regulation (4).

So, if you or your partner were the kid who always needed a bag in the backseat, there is a reasonable chance your child inherited some of that susceptibility.

There is also a strong relationship between migraines and motion sickness.

In one small study of 23 children referred to a pediatric vestibular program specifically for severe motion sickness, 47.8% were diagnosed with a migraine-related condition (5).

That does not mean that nearly half of all children with car sickness have migraines, too. This was a highly selected group of children whose symptoms were severe enough to warrant specialist evaluation.

However, the connection between migraine and motion sickness is well established, and children with severe motion sickness, particularly those who also experience headaches, dizziness, light sensitivity, or other migraine-like symptoms, may be worth discussing with a pediatrician.

You might like this article, too: Natural Headache Support For Adults

Some people simply appear to be more sensitive to conflicting sensory signals (car sickness) than others.

Differences in vestibular sensitivity, visual processing, previous exposure to motion, and the brain's ability to adapt to sensory conflict can all affect susceptibility.

Scientists are still working to understand exactly why these differences are so pronounced from person to person.

What a child does with their eyes in the car can make an enormous difference in terms of car sickness and its severity.

Reading, watching a tablet, playing games on a phone, drawing, or focusing on objects inside the vehicle can increase the mismatch between what the eyes see and what the inner ear feels.

This is why some children seem perfectly fine while watching the road but become nauseated within minutes of picking up a tablet or book.

Psychological factors can also influence motion sickness. A child who already expects to become sick may notice physical sensations earlier or experience them more intensely. Anxiety can also increase autonomic nervous system activation, potentially adding to symptoms such as nausea, sweating, and dizziness. 

This does not mean the symptoms are "all in their head." Motion sickness is a very real physiological response. It simply means that the brain, nervous system, and gut are closely connected, and anticipation can sometimes make an already uncomfortable sensory experience feel even worse.

You might like this article, too: Lemon Balm: A Favorite Herbal Remedy for Calm, Focus, & Wellness

There are several things you can do to reduce the sensory conflict that causes motion sickness and make travel more comfortable.

Some strategies have stronger scientific support than others, and some are more anecdotal, but worth a shot.

One of the most useful strategies for car sickness is helping your child visually match what their inner ear is experiencing. When possible, give them a clear view of the road, horizon, or passing scenery rather than the relatively stationary interior of the car.

However, car sickness should never take priority over car seat safety. Young children should remain rear facing for as long as their car seat allows based on the manufacturer's height and weight limits. Rear facing provides important protection for the head, neck, and spine in a crash, so turning a child forward-facing early simply because they get carsick is not recommended.

If your child is still rear facing, look for safer ways to improve their visual experience instead: such as positioning the seat where they can see out a side or rear window when possible and removing books, tablets, or other close-up visual activities.

Once a child has legitimately outgrown the rear-facing limits of their seat and is ready to ride forward facing, a forward-facing position may naturally give them a clearer view of the road ahead, which can help reduce the visual-vestibular mismatch that contributes to motion sickness. Children should then remain properly restrained in a forward-facing seat with a harness and tether until they outgrow that stage as well.

Reading and screen use require the eyes to focus on something stationary and close to the body while the inner ear is simultaneously detecting movement.

For a child prone to car sickness, that combination can be particularly provocative.

Try audiobooks, podcasts, storytelling, conversation, or music instead.

Warm, stuffy environments can make nausea feel worse. Keeping the vehicle comfortably cool, using air conditioning, or allowing fresh air to circulate can make the experience more tolerable.

Some people also find that feeling cool air on the face provides a helpful sensory distraction when nausea begins (6).

Both an extremely full stomach and traveling while very hungry can be uncomfortable for a child prone to nausea. A light meal or snack before travel may work better than a large, heavy meal.

Simple foods such as crackers, toast, bananas, or another familiar food that sits well with your child may be easier to tolerate.

Greasy, rich, or strongly scented foods may be worth avoiding immediately before a long or winding drive.

Ginger has been studied extensively for nausea in several different settings.

One controlled study found that ginger reduced nausea and some of the gastric changes associated with experimentally induced motion sickness (6,7), and many families find ginger very helpful. In my family, we like to add some Ginger-Ease™ extract to cold apple juice in an insulated bottle with lots of ice for a refreshing drink that keeps our tummies feeling good. 

To learn more about ginger, see my article: The Benefits of Ginger

The P6, or Neiguan, point is located on the inner forearm — a few finger-widths below the wrist crease between two central tendons.

Acupressure at this point has been studied for nausea in several settings.

One experimental motion-sickness study found improvements in nausea and abnormal gastric activity with P6 pressure compared with control conditions (8).

However, research across studies has been inconsistent, and acupressure wristbands have not consistently performed better than placebo in motion-sickness research (6).

Still, acupressure bands are inexpensive, non-medicated, and generally low risk, so some families find them worth trying.

If car sickness symptoms are building, stopping the car can give your child a chance to recover.

Getting out, walking around, looking at stable surroundings, drinking some water, and spending a few minutes away from the movement of the car may help symptoms settle before continuing.

For children who become progressively more nauseated the longer they are in the car, planning breaks before symptoms become severe can be especially helpful.

Peppermint has a long history of traditional use for digestive discomfort and nausea, but evidence specifically supporting peppermint as a treatment for motion sickness is limited.

Peppermint tea or the smell of peppermint may feel soothing to some people with car sickness.

If using essential oils around children, avoid putting concentrated essential oil directly on the skin or allowing a child to ingest it unless specifically directed by a qualified healthcare professional.

Fennel has traditionally been used to support digestion and ease stomach discomfort. More recently, researchers have also begun exploring its potential role in motion sickness. A 2024 animal study found that fennel extract showed anti-motion-sickness effects (9).

For children who already associate the car with feeling sick, reducing anticipatory anxiety may also make travel easier.

A predictable travel routine can help: use the bathroom before leaving, have a familiar snack, choose an audiobook or playlist, keep the car cool, and explain when the next break will happen.

Slow breathing, conversation, singing, or another calming distraction can also help shift the child's focus away from constantly monitoring whether nausea is starting.

Very often, car sickness symptoms improve with age. Research shows that motion sickness is particularly common during childhood and tends to decline substantially during adolescence (2).

As the brain develops and gains more experience with motion, it may become better at interpreting and adapting to conflicting sensory information.

Some highly susceptible adults still experience motion sickness, of course, but many parents notice a major difference between the elementary-school years and the teenage years.

Most childhood motion sickness is benign and can be managed with practical strategies.

It is worth mentioning car sickness to your child's pediatrician if:

• Motion sickness is severe or causes repeated vomiting despite taking precautions.
• Your child experiences dizziness, nausea, balance problems, or similar symptoms when they are not moving.
• Motion sickness is accompanied by significant headaches, light sensitivity, or other migraine-like symptoms.
• Symptoms are becoming progressively worse rather than improving with age.
• Your child has hearing changes, unusual balance problems, fainting, neurological symptoms, or other symptoms that don't fit typical motion sickness.
• Motion sickness is significantly limiting school trips, family activities, sports, travel, or everyday life.
• Something feels off or you’re worried.

A pediatrician can help determine whether typical motion sickness is the most likely explanation or whether migraine, a vestibular condition, or another issue deserves further evaluation. They can also discuss medication options for longer or unavoidable trips if behavioral strategies are not enough.

Car sickness happens largely because the brain receives conflicting information about movement from the eyes, inner ear, and body.

Children appear to be particularly susceptible during the elementary-school years, with symptoms generally becoming less common during adolescence.

Genetics play a significant role, and migraine susceptibility may also make some children more vulnerable. What a child is looking at in the car matters tremendously, which is why screens and books can turn an otherwise comfortable drive into a miserable one.

The most reliable non-medication strategies focus on reducing sensory conflict: help children look outside at the road or horizon, avoid screens and reading, keep the vehicle cool and comfortable, and take breaks when necessary.

Natural remedies such as ginger, acupressure, fennel, and peppermint may help some children, too.