Summer first aid kit essentials
Enjoying the summer with your children or grandchildren is one of the most joyous parts of life. Although, that doesn’t mean you won’t be a little relieved when they head back to school! Whether you’re at home in the garden, out exploring in the sunshine or on holiday, being safe is essential. You don’t want to let minor injuries ruin your day, so being prepared to patch up a scrape or soothe a bug bite will let you get on with your summer break. A good first aid kit can travel with you wherever you go, and give you everything you need.
There are several items you should make sure that you have on your travel first aid kit list or for a first aid kit that you keep at home. Take a look at some of the things that you should include; you can buy a pre-stocked first aid kit or put one together yourself.
Dealing with Injuries
Some of the most common injuries for children and adults are simple cuts and scrapes. They might bleed a bit and hurt a little, but essentially they’re not a big deal. They’re also easy to deal with when you have the right items. Firstly, it’s a good idea to have something to clean the wound. This might mean having a few antiseptic wipes on you, or you might have an antiseptic spray or cream that you can use again and again.
Once the wound is clean, covering it with a plaster will help to keep it clean. It’s a good idea to have a selection of plasters in different sizes and shapes. Or you could have a roll of plaster and a small pair of scissors so you can cut plasters to size.
For slightly more serious wounds, and those that bleed a bit more, you can benefit from having sterile gauze dressings in your kit. Bandages are also useful for covering dressings and wounds. Sterile eye dressings can be a good addition to your first aid kit too, as well as distilled water for cleaning eye wounds. You can also have supports for use on ankles or other joints, for problems like sprains and strains.
First Aid Kit Tools
A few handy tools can help you to make sure you can use everything in your first aid kit and take care of all kinds of problems. A small pair of scissors can be used to cut plasters, bandages and dressings. It might also be useful if you ever need to cut anything away. A pair of tweezers can be used to pluck out splinters, pieces of glass or anything else that might end up in a wound. A roll of tape will help you to secure bandages and dressings in place, and safety pins are also a good idea. You might also want to have a digital thermometer so that you can check for signs of fever if someone is ill.
Items for Pain and Illness
It’s also smart to have some things in your first aid kit that will help people to feel better if they’re ill or in pain. If they’re in pain, it’s helpful to have some painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen. Children’s versions of these, whether in liquid, pill or chewable tablet form, are useful to have. These medications can also help to reduce fever if someone is ill. If you’re away on holiday, it can also be helpful to have medications for stomach bugs and digestive issues.
Summer Essentials
During the summer, there are certain problems you might have to contend with. From hay fever to bug bites and sunburn, summer can attack you from all angles. Antihistamine medication can help with both hay fever and bug bites. You might also want to have a soothing cream or gel for bug bites and stings.
Treating Common Injuries
Most of the time, your holiday first aid kit is going to be put into use for minor injuries and illnesses. If someone has a small cut or scrape, start by cleaning it out to prevent infection. You can use an antibacterial wipe, spray or cream. Tweezers can help you to remove anything that might be in the wound, such as small pieces of dirt, gravel or splinters. Sterilising your tweezers first is a good idea. Choose a plaster or a bandage that will fit over the wound and cover it neatly. A waterproof dressing is often the best choice in the summer, especially when spending time at the beach or swimming pool. Read more about covering a wound while swimming here.
Get ready for summer with a well-stocked first aid kit and you can make sure that any minor injuries won’t ruin your fun.
