Motion sickness is thankfully unusual in infants under two years old, it seems to affect the three to 12 year age range and girls seem to get it more often than boys. The usual symptoms are dizziness, pallor, sweating, nausea and vomiting and are the physical result of a mismatch between what the balance organs within the ear are telling the brain, and the messages arriving via the eyes.

In a car, for example, the passengers in the back seat look at other passengers or fix their gaze on different parts of the vehicle. Their visual perception no longer registers the movement, while the perception of the inner ear is constantly stimulated. By contrast, the driver looks at the road and registers movements such as pitching, for example. He will lean in the direction of a turn in order to re-establish his own equilibrium. This equilibrium information matches the perception of the inner ear. In fact, the liquids of the inner ear remain horizontal, and it is this information which the eyes must perceive to avoid sensorial conflict.

This means that lying down with the eyes shut can help once you have found a suitable safe place to stop.

The greater the amount of movement the more motion sickness there is likely to be, which is why sitting in the back of the bus so often makes people feel unwell. The position that moves the least is most comfortable so in an aircraft between the wings is best; in ships the middle decks amidships; and in coaches and buses in the centre not over the wheels, facing forward, and in cars in a seat high enough to that they can be focusing on the horizon. If travelling by train ensure any potential suffers sit facing the direction of travel and away from the buffet car.

A lot of food or fluid slopping around in a childs stomach exacerbates motion sickness. However, make sure your child is well hydrated, avoid very sweet, milky or fizzy drinks, and frequent sips are safer than letting them guzzle. A light meal, non-spicy or greasy and easily digested is best, perhaps a ripe banana sandwich, apple or dry biscuits before you leave.

Placing sun shades over the side windows in the rear of the car will not only protect your child from strong sunlight but will prevent them looking sideways. Make sure your child is seated high enough so he can see out of the front window and try to ensure that he does not spend the journey looking down at toys or books which will make him feel worse. Distractions in the form of stories or songs on cassette tapes can help a great deal and you can also encourage them to look at things in the distance by playing I-spy type of games.

Keep heating in the car as low as comfort allows. Plenty of fresh air always helps so turn on the air jets above your seat if flying.

Exhaust fumes can cause nausea, so roll up the windows if you are caught in a jam and put a drop of essential oil of eucalyptus on a couple of tissues and place them around the car to counteract the smell.

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It is proving so phenomenally successful that even the most sceptical of commentators are having to admit that this product really does work. And it is no wonder when a recent trail by the NHS Birth Centre at Andover confirmed that over 90% of morning sickness sufferers who used the Morningwell programme correctly had their symptoms reduced or completely cleared within two days.

There is a range of medicines to prevent motion sickness available from your doctor for children but these commonly cause drowsiness and those which contain hyoscine can make the mouth and eyes dry. You may have to try several before you find one, which works well for your child. Drugs should be given two to three hours before travel.

Alternatives include essential oil of ginger, which is well known for alleviating seasickness but is equally effective for other types of travel sickness; two drops of ginger placed on a handkerchief works well. You can also try just chewing on a piece of crystallised ginger (although sometimes children find the taste too strong).

Homeopathic remedies may also be useful.

Take some Sick Bags (remember shopping carrier bags normally have holes punched in the bottom1) If the unfortunate does happen a refreshing wipe around the face and hands with an baby wipe, feels refreshing and smells very pleasant. Should the vomit have missed your plastic bag and has landed in the car, a damp cloth sprinkled with bicarbonate of soda is good at absorbing the smell.

If you travel a lot, make sure your child does not get a mental block about motion sickness, throwing up is horrible and offering something so that children avoid the unpleasantness is essential.

Infection of the middle ear is a common problem in children; 20% of two - year olds will suffer and around the around of five lots of children are also affected. Ear infections cause pain and sometimes temporary hearing loss. There is a build-up of secretions behind the ear-drum which becomes excruciatingly painful, causing the child to wake up in the night. If the ear drum bursts there is a smelly discharge and the pain goes away; and usually the problem settles without further treatment. Otherwise antibiotics may be prescribed but they are not always effective.

The outer ear canal often gets infected, especially in hot humid places. A sore, oozing or scabby area extends from the ear canal. This can be treated with any one of a variety of antibiotic eardrops.

Infections are often triggered by swimming, particulary in polluted water, it may be wise to rinse children's ears with clean water after swimming. Use swimming ear plugs and swim bands to prevent problems. Never poke even cotton buds into the ear.