Cuts, Scrapes, and Falls are an Inevitable Part of Growing Up. To Help You Prepare for Them, Here are the Top 15 Items to Include in Your First-Aid Kit.
1. Band-Aids.
2. Elastic Wrap Bandages.
3. Athletic Tape.
4. An Instant Cold Compress (aka an ice pack).
5. Alcohol Wipes (to clean cuts and remove residue from Band-Aids and athletic tape).
6. Hydrogen Peroxide (to pour onto cuts to disinfect them).
7. Eyewash Solution.
8. Vaseline.
9. Neosporin (an anti-bacterial ointment for cuts and scrapes).
10. Calamine Lotion (to help with itchy rashes, like poison ivy).
11. Acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol) and Ibuprofen (e.g. Motrin and Advil).
12. Benadryl.
Note: Benadryl is typically reserved for children 2 years & older when it’s used for (minor) allergic reactions. When it’s used as a decongestant, it’s often limited to kids 6 years & older (unless the doctor recommends otherwise). If your child has an Epi-Pen, add it to the kit as well.
13. 1% Hydrocortisone cream (a steroid cream).
14. A Thermometer.
15. Scissors and Tweezers.
Parting PediaTip:
Call the doctor for serious falls and injuries that require more than what’s in your first-aid kit.
