10 Things – You need in your First Aid-Kit

Kids are experts at getting into all kinds of trouble. Learning to walk can lead to all kinds of lumps and bumps and learning to ride a bike can lead to scrapes and tears. Kids are also major attractors of anything viral and they love to share these with those closest to them. Don´t worry it sounds far worse than it is, but it is always good to be prepared.

Here is our list of what we think is important to have in your first-aid kit:

1. Saline drops- these work great for rinsing out dirt from little eyes. You can also use them to help unblock little noses. Just put a few drops into the nose cavity while your little one is laying down.
   
   
2. Tweezers- Something most women can´t live without, they are also really good at removing ticks. These little creatures are rife between the months of May -October and can carry harmful germs that cause diseases such as Lyme disease. Be sure to remove them straight away if you find one on your child. Use tweezers to grasp the tick firmly around its head or mouth, next to the skin and make sure you get the whole body out. Tweezers are also really good at removing splinters quickly and efficiently.
   
   
3. Digital thermometer- If you think your little one has a temperature a thermometer helps to confirm it and gives an accurate reading. If baby’s temperature is over 38,5 for more than three days be sure to contact your doctor.
   
   
4. Plasters- kids get cuts and scrapes all the time so make sure you are stocked up with different shapes and sizes and in our experience those with action heroes or princesses are a great hit.
   
   
5. Sterile dressing- if your child has a deeper scrape or cut that is weeping then a sterile dressing is a really good idea. They are self-adhesive so sit well on your little one´s skin.
   
   
6. Elastic bandage- good at keeping an ice pack or frozen peas in place if your child has fallen and hurt themselves (remember never put ice directly on skin, always have some sort of layer between the ice and skin. For example, a thin dish cloth or sock etc..). They are also really good if your child has twisted their ankle as they give compression and support to the injured area.
   
   
7. Ice pack- these are really useful for burns, insect bites or a sprain. They cool the area and help reduce the pain. Cold water also helps, especially for fingers that have been trapped in doors etc. as mentioned above make sure you have a thin layer between the ice pack and skin-dish cloths work really well here.
   
   
8. Cooling bite relief gel- it really hurts getting stung or bit by an insect and although you can help cool the area with a wet cloth or ice, cooling gel is also really effective especially if it really stings. Spread it generously on the affected area. 
   
   
9. Paracetamol –  is a common pain killer for children. It´s often used to treat headaches, stomach ache, earache and cold symptoms. It can also be used to bring down a high temperature. For children liquid (syrup) or suppository forms work well. Suppositories (medicine that is pushed gently into child´s bottom) are really useful to relieve pain and a high temperature in children who find it difficult to swallow tablets or syrup, or who are being sick a lot. 
   
   
10. Cough medicine- coughing is simply a reflex to try and remove the irritant and clear the airway. In most cases it goes away by itself but sometimes a little help is needed to clear the mucus and phlegm that is in the airway. Your local pharmacy should be able to help you choose the right cough medicine for your child.

Feel free to comment if you think we need to add something to the list.