As much as you want to protect your young baby or toddler, it is not always possible to prevent accidents and injuries. When these occur, it helps to be prepared by having a first aid kit on hand so that you can attend to the child at once. We look at what should go into a first aid kit for babies as well as providing some tips for medical emergencies.
Supplies For A Baby First Aid Kit
You should discuss any medicines for your baby first aid kit with your paediatrician to ensure that it is safe for your baby. A painkiller is great for dealing with pain from ear infections, flu, headaches, body aches, and fevers in a baby of two months and older. This will have ibuprofen or acetaminophen as its main ingredient. Include a medicine measuring cup or spoon to ensure accurate doses and follow the instructions precisely.
Doctors have access to all kinds of diagnostic equipment, as available from medical-supermarket.com. Your kit doesn’t need as much as a doctor’s clinic needs, but it should contain various ointments. An antibiotic cream should be used on deep cuts, while an antiseptic spray with a mild anaesthetic can be used for burns and smaller wounds. Use an antihistamine cream for insect bites and calamine lotion for rashes. Gas drops will help with indigestion. A saline spray can be applied for eye irritation.
Other items to include in the kit are:
- Bandages,
- Sling,
- Sterile gauze dressings,
- Thermometer,
- Tweezers to remove splinters,
- Scissors for cutting bandages,
- Alcohol wipes to sterilise cuts or instruments,
- Ice packs for swollen tissue,
- Suction device for clearing nasal passages.
Getting Your Baby First Aid Kit Together
You can purchase a ready-made kit or make your own. The items in store-bought first aid kits for babies vary. For this reason, making up a kit from scratch can allow you to include a wider variety of necessities.
You will need a bag that is sturdy and waterproof. The size should be big enough to contain all the supplies you have bought. It should have a lock and not be accessible to children. The bag also needs to be easy to carry.
When Should You Take Your Child to the ER?
How do you tell if an injury is serious enough and life-threatening to go straight to the emergency room? This can sometimes be difficult for a parent to determine. However, this guide will help you distinguish between an emergency and a non-emergency situation.
Performing CPR and Using a Defibrillator
If your child is not responding and appears unconscious, you need to know how to perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). This is a life-threatening emergency and needs you to act immediately even while calling for an ambulance. A defibrillator, also known as an AED (automated external defibrillator) is used to provide shocks. The device also provides voice prompts and is used in conjunction with CPR. It is possible to buy your own AED. See this video for how to use a defibrillator.
A baby first aid kit will allow you to be prepared for most of the incidents that occur in the home. When in doubt, always seek professional help.
