There are several Family First Aid Kit items and medications every household needs and should always have stocked and ready to deploy. While some items, like throat lozenges and cough syrup would traditionally be considered seasonal, with the constantly changing seasonal patterns delivering snap temperature changes that oppose the calendar’s appointed season, it is becoming increasingly more important for some items to always be stocked in the family First Aid Kit, ready to be used when needed year-round. All the items listed can be found in your local supermarkets and chemists or ordered online.
Non-commercial First Aid Kit Items
Items that are not a part of a traditional commercial First Aid kit can be easily sourced at chemists, supermarkets and in the most unlikely places when they catch your eye. Purchased over time and where items sell at a reduced price, savings can be made, and used items replaced regularly to ensure your First Aid Kit items are all in date and have not been compromised.
Traditional First Aid Kit Items
Traditional First Aid Kits contain all the basics for cuts, sprains, fractures, and minor burns. They were originally designed to be portable, lightweight, and used for a specific purpose. As their popularity grew, so did the list of items that formed the content of the First Aid Kit until the point was reached whereby First Aid Kits could be hyper-specialised to a specific vocation or situation. That said, there is a noticeable gap in the marketplace, and that is in household Family First Aid Kits.
Family First Aid Kits
The idea behind having a Family First Aid Kit is that you can tailor your First Aid Kit content to specifically reflect your family’s needs. No two families will require exactly the same items, and the quantity of the items will vary depending on the number of people in the household. A Family First Aid Kit must consider each family member’s needs and any allergies or medical conditions requiring prescription medications. Two examples are things like a spare Epi-Pen for people with known anaphylactic reactions when exposed to certain pathogens and those with asthma who require Ventolin inhalers or nebuliser fluids.
Households with young children will require child dose medications that differ from adult dose requirements. Things like febrile agents to reduce fever and lower temperature and pain relief will play a part in how you tailor your First Aid Kit content. Preference for certain brands over others will also play a role in some households. For budget-constrained people, a chat with your local pharmacist will provide some surprising revelations about the non-brand cheaper labels often being the better option. A consumer with a shrewd eye who reads the list of ingredients on the back of all the products will quickly learn that expensive does not mean the best option and often contains less of the active ingredient required than non-brand equivalents.
What Do I Need In My Family First Aid Kit
Burn Creams, Gels and Lotions: Burns frequently happen in the kitchen when working with hot food, utensils, pots and pans. Oil burns from spitting meat fats like bacon and lamb cause small area blisters no larger than pimples that need to be treated immediately but do not require external medical attention from a doctor. Having a product like Burn-Aid in your kitchen within easy reach and visible to all can be the difference between a blister and skin you would never know was burnt hours prior. Sunburns also require a burn soothing option and products like Soov or aloe vera are ideal to keep on hand and in good supply year-round.
Coughs, Colds, And Flus: Some people are heavily affected by the changing seasons. In the cooler months, having a good stock of throat lozenges, cough medicine, Night and Day Flu tablets, and antiseptic mouthwashes can nip the onset of a cold in the bud and stop it dead in its tracks before it runs riot in your immune system. We have all felt that little tickle or itch in the back of the throat causing that annoying dry cough. Sucking on medicated lozenges when this first sign appears can kill the pathogens and prevent further virus development inside your body. With the constantly changing global extremes, seasons are blending to deliver all seasons in one day. Having on hand year-round what was once considered winter medication will ensure you can purchase your supplies when the supermarkets have their sales and specials.
Antihistamines: Anyone with a sensitivity to the external flora environment, reacts severely to insect bites, or with pet sensitivities will be good friends with the range of antihistamines available. From liquid nasal delivery to a solid tablet or gel capsules, there is a form for everyone of every age.
Stingos: Stingos is a registered brand. It comes in gel and liquid spray forms. It is exceptionally child friendly and works fast!
Thermometer: You need this device to take a temperature reading. They come in several formats from the old mercury level, to digital, to thermal. The cost will rise with each level of technology. A good digital thermometer can be found for under $20.00.
Betadine Solution and Alcohol swabs: Betadine is the best all-around pathogen-killing tool to keep in the Family First Aid Kit. Betadine can be used in a wide range of situations and is incredibly versatile for those who know how to use it correctly. Betadine and alcohol swabs are ideal for cleaning the wounds caused by scrapes, scratches, and cuts. Betadine is used in surgical suites to completely sterilise an area prior to surgery beginning, so it is extra effective when a child’s skin meets an unforgiving surface leaving lacerations and grazes that are not deep but need to be cleaned and sterilised before applying the suitable external cover.
Depending on the size of the wound, anything from a Band-Aid to a bandage may be required. In some cases, a product called skin repair or synthetic skin can be sprayed over the wound to act like a glue sealant and protect the wound surface below from infection. For anyone who has not used synthetic skins on children, they can sting, and your child might scream blue murder for a minute or two, depending on individual pain tolerance levels.
Eye Wash Solution: No Family First Aid Kit is complete without some form of sterile eyewash solution. From dedicated eyebaths in a bottle to individual satchels for single-use, eyewash solutions will be needed to flush out any debris in the eyes. A product that relieves dry, red and itchy eyes is also a solid option for adults who routinely suffer from dry eyes. With more children than ever spending their entire day behind a computer screen at school and then at home, there is an increasing need to keep a good supply on hand.
Antacids: Reflux and heartburn are horrible when they occur. The Family First Aid Kit must have antacids on hand in the form of products like Mylanta milk liquid or any of the chalky chewable tables.
Diarrhoea and Constipation: If it isn’t one, it is the other. When mild cases of food poisoning occur or a gastro bug has been picked up, sitting on the toilet and swearing you are melting from the inside out is not a place anyone wants to remain. Products like Imodium come in a range of strengths suitable to give to children and adults to allow anyone suffering from diarrhoea to leave the bathroom.
Conversely, laxatives are required when a person is constipated and hasn’t voided their bowels for some days. Young children can be susceptible to constipation, so having a product that unblocks them ready to roll is a must. Products like Movicol can be picked up at your local chemist. In cases where a doctor has specifically ordered an enema, suppositories and enema solutions can also be purchased in a chemist. Talk to your family doctor and pharmacist about what option best suits your family circumstances.
Your Family First Aid Kit Is Bespoke
Your Family First Aid Kit should be bespoke to your family’s needs. The items inside should all be checked twice a year to ensure the content is well stocked and within the used-by date. Start looking to replace anything with less than three months before the expiry date is reached.
If you haven’t already, consider taking a FACE fully accredited and nationally recognised First Aid course. Anyone over the age of fourteen is eligible to receive national certification in First Aid and CPR. Prepare yourself and your family for the future, and start building your Family First Aid Kit today!
