Study reveals carsickness may have hereditary link

Diamond, a British company specializing in auto insurance for women, has released a new study showing one in four British children get sick from traveling in autos. The study clearly suggests this tendency could run in the family. Further, the report based on a sample of 2,000 parents states even parents whose kids aren't normally carsick prepare by bringing along airsick bags just in case.

For parents of children who get car sick three quarters stop and pull over when their child is ill, usually within 35 miles before it interrupts the journey. A full two fifths of rather displeased parents have had to clean the car after their kid got sick in the car, while just as many avoid long car journeys altogether – the stress of children getting sick just makes it easier to stay home.

According to the study, it turns out parents who got travel sickness as a child are five times more likely to have a child with the same problem, compared to parents who never experienced travel sickness as kids.

Of parents who suffered from travel sickness as a child, 41 percent have a child who also suffers.

Parents, who never got car sick as a child, have only an 8 percent chance of having a child who does.

Although most children grow out of this tendency, this isn't always the case. Three in five parents, who got travel sickness as children, still experience some symptoms in their adult life.

"Car journeys with children can be difficult at the best of times, but when you throw in travel sickness, they become even more stressful for parents and children alike,” said Harriet Neale, Diamond's managing director. "Our study certainly suggests travel sickness runs in the family so many parents will empathize with their children and hopefully know a few remedies to make car journeys a little bit easier."

Many respondents said opening windows and getting air circulating around the car helps to alleviate the symptoms of travel sickness, 75 percent reporting success with this approach. Nearly half indicated motion sickness pills or not looking down will help children who are feeling sick. Acupressure wristbands, chewing gum and closing eyes are extremely unlikely to work.