We just got back from Thailand – Phuket actually – and boy am I glad I know acupressure.
Of course, I know it well as I’m an acupuncturist. But an acupuncture qualification is not necessary to use acupressure.
I can tell you right now, knowing a few acupressure tricks comes in so handy for a parent.
For one thing, acupressure can help you stop motion sickness in kids. Knowing acupressure was a life-saver on this trip for my husband and I.
Motion Sickness in Kids – So Awesome on a Family Holiday (Not)
Picture this…
You’ve just spent nine beautiful days by the pool overlooking the beach. You’re all relaxed and chilled after not having to do much – no meals to make, no lunches to pack for school, no school drop-offs through peak-hour traffic… and then it’s time to go home.
You spend your last day lapping up the sunshine and enjoying the water to get ready for your 10:30pm overnight flight home to Sydney.
You make sure the kids are well-fed and watered. You organise some snacks for the flight, do the last-minute loo stop and you’re ready to go.
You get in a cab and are taken through all these narrow winding busy streets. Your son falls asleep right next to you. One more seat over is your daughter, and she’s wanting to throw up.
What do you do?
You may have some motion sickness pills but these won’t kick in fast enough. You didn’t give her any beforehand because you didn’t think this would happen on a 20-minute car ride to the airport.
$%&#!
How I Used Acupressure to Ease My Kids’ Motion Sickness
I reach over and press the acupressure point PC-6.
This point is brilliant for at least taking the edge off nausea – if not, reducing it quite a bit.
So I am propping my son’s head up, as you do when you’re in a foreign country and he’s not in a child seat (he’s five so it wasn’t that bad). But otherwise his head is flopping all over the place.
With the same arm I’m also pressing into my daughter’s inner arm, just above her wrist. Brilliant hey.
So the taxi leaves the tiny market-filled streets and heads onto a sort of freeway. We are bouncing along. Our driver thinks it’s a good idea to drive 130 in an 80 zone. Then he slams on the breaks as we hit more traffic – nice.
My son’s head goes flying. I’m struggling to hold onto my daughter’s PC-6, but I got it, I still got it.
We finally arrive at the airport and my daughter is saved from spewing in the back seat of the cab.
Phew – we made it.
Motion Sickness in Kids and Acupressure: Version 2.0
Fast-forward 10 hours (after bad drop off, checking in etc) and we’re in the plane ready to make our descent into Sydney.
This time, not one child but two starts to feel sick and wants to vomit.
I grab hold of my daughter’s arm once again. My hubby grabs hold of our son. We apply firm pressure on point PC-6 for about 20 minutes, until we’ve landed and are off the plan.
We had the vom bag ready to go but didn’t need to use it. Hooray! Another victory.
Acupressure Point PC-6 for Nausea and Vomiting
This acupressure point is a little bit magical I gotta say. When I was pregnant I used it for morning sickness. And since I’m similar to my daughter when it comes to motion sickness, I’ve also used it in winding car trips before with much effect.
It’s a great one to have up your sleeve. (Literally.)
Learn Acupressure, Chinese Medical Theory and Nutrition for Kids’ Health
We offer a special online course for parents called From Anxiety to Security: The A–Z of Home Remedies for Children’s Health. You can learn other points like PC-6 to treat so many other conditions for your kids. They come in handy like you wouldn’t believe.
You can also learn what kinds of foods will work for them when they’re unwell and when they’re not.
We teach you the basics of Chinese medicine including meridians, Yin & Yang, the thermodynamic properties of food, and how to create your own powerful toolkit to treat your kids naturally at home.
We look at causes and remedies for common childhood illnesses including constipation, diarrhoea, ear infections, recurrent colds and flu, anxiety, eczema, respiratory complaints and so much more.
We teach you skills you can use prior to and in tandem with advice you’d receive from your family GP. We believe in integrative medicine for the best results for your little ones.
Have you used acupressure to ease motion sickness in your kids, or help them recover from other bothersome complaints? Let us know the tricks you use in the comments below.
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