Wagenziekte (car sickness) can be a big problem if, with the summer holidays approaching, you have a long car journey ahead of you. RTV Maastricht asked ENT doctor Raymond van de Berg from Maastricht UMC+ to explain what it is and what you can do about it.

Car sickness is very common in children, around 1 in 3 children. What exactly causes car sickness is not entirely known. According to Dr van de Berg, it may have to do with people being sensitive to motion.

Cause
Van de Berg cites the example of reading while sitting in the car. Your eyes don't see motion, but your body feels it: "That conflict between your eyes and the rest of the body, the brain doesn't like and that can cause car sickness," says the ENT doctor.

Solution
What can be done about it? According to the expert, the most important thing is for the driver of the car to drive calmly. "If you are quite a sporty driver, it is not nice for the children," he says. It is also good to look out of the window. If, for example, a child is of age and height to sit in the front, that is even better to avoid car sickness. And in the worst case scenario, it is good to bring a plastic container: "That is always handy!"

Read the original article in Dutch