Motion sickness is especially common in children aged 2 to 12. A car journey can quickly turn into nausea, pale skin, sweating and vomiting. The good news: a few simple habits prevent most episodes, and many children grow out of it.

Why children get car sick

Motion sickness happens when the eyes and the balance system in the inner ear send the brain different signals. A child sitting low in the back seat, looking at a book or screen, sees a still scene while their inner ear feels every turn and bump.

Prevention tips

• Help them look out of the front window, at the horizon, rather than out of the side windows. A middle back seat, raised booster (where age-appropriate and safe) can help them see ahead.
• No screens or books while the car is moving. Try audiobooks, music or games like I-spy instead.
• Keep the car cool and let in fresh air.
• A light, plain snack before the trip is better than an empty stomach or a big, greasy meal.
• Take regular breaks on long drives, and travel at nap time for younger children if you can.
• Drive smoothly: gentle braking and cornering help.

Medicine for motion sickness

• Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) can be used in children 6 to 11 at ½ to 1 tablet every 6 to 8 hours, no more than 3 tablets in 24 hours. Give the first dose 30 to 60 minutes before travel.
• For children under 6, ask a doctor or pharmacist before giving any motion sickness medicine.
• It can cause drowsiness. In some children it causes excitability instead.

If your child feels sick

• Stop the car when it’s safe and let them get some fresh air.
• Have them lie back, close their eyes, and keep their head still.
• Offer small sips of cold water.
• Keep sick bags, wipes and a change of clothes within reach.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if your child has dizziness, headaches or vomiting when they’re not travelling, if symptoms continue long after the journey, or if they show signs of dehydration.

Also see our guide to motion sickness in adults.

More in our Travel Health guide: all our articles and products on this topic in one place.

This article is for general information only and isn’t a substitute for advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label before using any medicine.

Every over-the-counter (OTC) medicine sold in the US carries a Drug Facts label in the same format. Knowing how to read it helps you choose the right product, take the right dose, and avoid mistakes such as taking the same ingredient twice.

1. Active ingredient

This is the medicine that does the work, with the amount in each tablet or dose, for example “Loratadine 10 mg”. Different brands often contain the same active ingredient: Claritin and Alavert are both loratadine 10 mg.

Tip: before taking two products together, compare their active ingredients. Taking the same ingredient from two products is one of the most common ways people take too much.

2. Purpose

What kind of medicine it is, such as “antihistamine”, “anti-diarrhoeal” or “laxative”.

3. Uses

The symptoms or conditions the product is approved to treat. If your symptoms aren’t listed, ask a pharmacist before using it.

4. Warnings

The most important section. It tells you:

• Do not use if you have certain conditions or allergies
• Ask a doctor before use if you have certain health problems
• Ask a doctor or pharmacist before use if you take certain other medicines
• When using this product: side effects to expect, such as drowsiness
• Stop use and ask a doctor if certain things happen, or symptoms last too long
• Advice for pregnancy and breastfeeding, and to keep it out of reach of children

5. Directions

How much to take, how often, and the maximum in 24 hours, usually set out by age group. Use the measuring device that comes with liquid medicines, not a kitchen spoon.

6. Other information, inactive ingredients and questions

How to store the product, the fillers, colours and flavours (useful if you have allergies), and a phone number for questions.

Before you buy or take any OTC medicine

• Check the expiry date and that the packaging is sealed.
• Tell your pharmacist about any other medicines, vitamins or supplements you take.
• Be extra careful with medicines for children, older adults, and during pregnancy.

Browse our guides on allergies, digestive health and travel health.

This article is for general information only and isn’t a substitute for advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label before using any medicine.

Sneezing, a runny nose and a scratchy throat could be a cold or an allergy. They feel similar, but they have different causes and respond to different treatments, so it’s worth knowing which one you have.

The key differences

• Itchy eyes, nose or throat: very common with allergies, uncommon with colds.
• Fever and body aches: possible with a cold (usually mild), never caused by allergies.
• Mucus: allergies usually cause clear, watery mucus. With a cold it often thickens and may turn yellow or green.
• How it starts: allergy symptoms start soon after contact with a trigger like pollen or pets. A cold builds over a day or two.
• How long it lasts: a cold usually clears in 7 to 10 days. Allergies last as long as you’re exposed, which can be weeks during pollen season.
• Timing: allergies often follow a pattern, such as every spring, outdoors, or around a pet. Colds are more common in autumn and winter.

Treating allergies

Non-drowsy antihistamines such as Zyrtec, Claritin and Allegra block the histamine behind allergy symptoms. They work best taken daily through the season. See which one to choose.

Treating a cold

Colds are caused by viruses, so antihistamines and antibiotics won’t cure them. Rest, fluids and time are the main treatment. Pain relievers can ease aches and a sore throat, and saline sprays or steam can help a blocked nose.

See a doctor if

• Symptoms last more than 10 days, or get better then worse again
• You have a high fever, severe headache or facial pain
• You have wheezing or shortness of breath
• Allergy symptoms aren’t controlled by antihistamines

More in our Allergies guide: all our articles and products on this topic in one place.

This article is for general information only and isn’t a substitute for advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label before using any medicine.

Travellers’ diarrhoea is the most common illness people get abroad. It’s usually caused by bacteria in contaminated food or water, starts within the first week of a trip, and lasts 3 to 5 days. Most cases are mild, but it can spoil a holiday, so prevention is worth the effort.

Prevention: food and water

• Drink bottled or treated water where tap water isn’t safe, and use it for brushing your teeth too.
• Skip ice unless you know it’s made from safe water.
• Eat food that’s cooked and served hot. Be careful with buffets where food sits out.
• Peel fruit yourself, and avoid salads and raw vegetables washed in tap water.
• Avoid unpasteurised milk and dairy, and undercooked meat, fish and shellfish.
• Wash your hands before eating, or use hand sanitiser with at least 60% alcohol.

If you get it

• Rehydrate first. Sip safe water and use oral rehydration salts, especially in hot climates.
• Eat plain food as you feel able: rice, bread, bananas, crackers.
• An anti-diarrhoeal such as loperamide (Imodium) can reduce trips to the toilet for adults and children 12+. Take 4 mg after the first loose stool, then 2 mg after each loose stool, no more than 8 mg in 24 hours.
• Don’t use loperamide if you have a fever or blood or mucus in your stool.

For full details, see our guide to stopping diarrhoea fast.

See a doctor if you have

• Blood in your stool or a high fever
• Diarrhoea lasting more than 3 days, or severe stomach pain
• Signs of dehydration: dizziness, very little or dark urine, a very dry mouth
• Symptoms in a young child, an older person, someone pregnant, or someone with a long-term illness
• Diarrhoea that starts after you get home

Pack before you go

Oral rehydration salts, an anti-diarrhoeal and hand sanitiser belong in every travel health kit.

More in our Travel Health guide: all our articles and products on this topic in one place.

This article is for general information only and isn’t a substitute for advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label before using any medicine.

Hives (urticaria) are raised, itchy welts on the skin. They can be pink or red on lighter skin and harder to see on darker skin, and they often move around, fading in one place and appearing in another within hours. Hives are very common and usually harmless, but occasionally they are part of a serious allergic reaction.

Common causes

• Allergies to foods (such as nuts, shellfish, eggs), medicines, insect stings or latex
• Infections, especially colds and other viral illnesses. This is a common cause in children.
• Physical triggers: heat, cold, pressure on the skin, sweating, exercise or sunlight
• Stress
• In many cases, especially hives that keep coming back, no cause is ever found.

How long do hives last?

Each individual welt usually fades within 24 hours. Acute hives clear within 6 weeks, and most clear within days. Hives that keep coming back for more than 6 weeks are called chronic hives and should be checked by a doctor.

How to relieve hives

• Take a non-drowsy antihistamine. Cetirizine (Zyrtec), loratadine (Claritin) and fexofenadine (Allegra) all relieve itching from hives. Compare them in our Zyrtec vs Claritin vs Allegra guide.
• Cool the skin. A cool shower or a cold, damp cloth eases itching.
• Wear loose, soft clothing to avoid rubbing.
• Avoid triggers you’ve noticed, and avoid hot baths, alcohol and tight clothes, which can make hives worse.
• Try not to scratch. It can make the welts spread.

Call emergency services if hives come with

• Swelling of the lips, tongue, throat or face
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing, or wheezing
• Dizziness, fainting or a fast heartbeat
• Vomiting or severe stomach pain after eating or a sting

These can be signs of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction. If you have a prescribed adrenaline (epinephrine) auto-injector, use it and call for help.

See a doctor if

• Hives last more than a few days despite antihistamines, or keep coming back
• You also have a fever, joint pain or feel unwell
• Welts leave bruises, or each one lasts longer than 24 hours
• You think a medicine you’re taking caused them

More in our Allergies guide: all our articles and products on this topic in one place.

This article is for general information only and isn’t a substitute for advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label before using any medicine.