Approved by the BabyCentre Medical Advisory Board
What kind of first aid supplies would be useful to have at hand?
Some ready-assembled first-aid kits are economical and contain many of the items you will find essential. But it is unlikely that you will find everything your family needs in one product, so you could start with a pre-packaged kit and add any extra items you require. The alternative is to build your own from scratch. You'll also need to keep many of these items locked in your medicine cupboard.
Emergency names and numbers
• Your family doctor
• Your local hospital
• Your two closest neighbours (in case you need immediate assistance, such as childcare for an older child or a lift to the hospital).
You could put these numbers by the telephone or in an obvious place in the house so that family and babysitters can easily access the information.
Here are some first-aid kit suggestions you might like to consider:
• Infant/child thermometer
• Children's and infants' liquid pain reliever. Do not use aspirin; use paracetamol in liquid or tablet form. Always give doses as recommended by your doctor. Ensure the product locked in your cabinet is in date.
• Calamine lotion for sunburn and rashes and sting reliever spray for insect bites.
• Antibacterial cream for cuts and scrapes.
• Tweezers and needles for splinters and thorns, with some matches for sterilising them.
• A pair of sharp scissors.
• Children's sunscreen lotion.
• Children's insect repellent.
• An assortment of sticky plasters in various sizes and shapes.
• Assorted bandages, including a one-inch and a two-inch strip for holding dressings and compresses in place.
• Adhesive tape.
• Finger bandage and applicator.
• Sterile gauze.
• Mild liquid soap (most antibacterial and deodorant soaps are too strong for babies' sensitive skin.
• An oral syringe or calibrated cup or spoon for administering medicines to infants and children.
• A first-aid manual. Read it before anything happens.
• If your child has asthma, or is allergic to bee stings, peanuts, or shellfish -- or if he has some other type of life-threatening allergy -- carry his medication on you and keep a spare set in your first-aid kit. Always make sure these items are in date, and are updated as your doctor changes your child's prescription.
Do I need to assemble more than one first-aid kit?
It all depends on your needs and your lifestyle. You may want a mega-kit for home, a mini-kit for your handbag / backpack / nappy bag, and one for the car. It is important to store all kits in a box or bag which can be fastened securely and kept out of reach of curious babies and children. Any item in a first-aid kit can be dangerous if left in a child's hands.
留言列表
◇ 中西方節慶 (5)