Posted on :
11:30 AM
| By :
Anonymous
| In :
preparedness
Lori Ann at Simple Makes asks what's in our first aid kit. I got mine at Costco, mostly because I really love the container that it's in and it's a certified Canadian Red Cross kit. I can't even find it on the internet to show you what it's like. Basically it's a nylon square bag with a rubber handle that has a zip cover. You unzip it and it opens like a book. Each plastic 'page' has a clear label of what's in all the pockets. I also like that all of the stuff is in little individual packets rather than bottles, so there's nothing spilly and it's easy to purchase the refills.
The first page:
Instant cold pack
Instant hot pack
Sterile pain relief gel
Sting relief packets
Antiseptics:
Antiseptic towelette
Hand sanitizer
Povidone-iodine ointment
Povidone-iodine U.S.P. prep pads
Alcohol prep pads
Wound Dressings (2 pages):
2x2" gauze dressings
4x4" gauze dressings
2x3" non-adherent pads
8x10" trauma dressing
4" pressure bandage
Adhesive Bandages (2 pages):
Fingertip bandages (which I have run out of- with 2 little girls these go fast)
2x3" adhesive bandages (including butterfly ones)
3/8" x 1 1/2" adhesive bandages
Butterfly closures/3/4x3" plastic strips
Instruments:
Tiny first aid manual
Safety pins
Tweezers
Scissors
Finger splints
Cotton tipped applicators
Inside of case/Trauma care:
Elastic wrap bandage with butterfly clips
Conforming gauze bandage (2 rolls)
Triangular bandage
Examination gloves
First aid tape
CPR mask
We try to use natural remedies most of the time, but we have a couple of things in our cupboard for situations that call for it:
Extra strength Acetaminophen
Ibuprofen
Children's acetaminophen
Children's Buckley's (a cough medicine)
Hydrogen peroxide (which I can't seem to find at the moment...hmmm...)
Before we had this kit we only had hydrogen peroxide and a few 'adhesive bandages' but it's amazing how many times I've used this kit since then and really enjoyed it. I try to keep up on my first aid and CPR training (although my certification is long gone) and I get a kick out of keeping my kit ready, lol.
I don't think I would have cough medicine in my stash if croup didn't run in the family. Croup is a weird thing - I never had it as a child, but susceptibility runs in my husband's family in a very serious way and he passed it on to the girls. They never get sick unless they are exposed to a child with a really bad virus and if it is a virus that causes serious coughing they are likely get croup. It causes them to not be able to breathe at all (believe me the steamy showers, humidifiers, Vicks Rub we tried only delayed the inevitable) and before they turn blue we have to go to the hospital for steroid mist to open their airway. It is the scariest thing that has ever happened to us, and it has happened 3 times. Thank goodness they are both getting older and kids don't usually get it after 5 years old. Unfortunately there's not really any prevention or first aid for that (that we're not already doing), but at least we're ready for everything else!
Coming Next Year!
Sounds like a good kit! Sorry about the croup, but glad to hear they're grow out of it. I understand the bit about always being out of finger bandaids; I used to work with little kids and that, plus the magic ointment (at times Dr Burt's ResQ ointment, at other times a film canister filled with plain old water, lol) were oft-requested and much-appreciated aids when 'owies' happened.