30 basic items to include in a baby's first-aid kit

Baby care is a science in itself, for which first-time parents may not be fully equipped. What essential first-aid items should a baby first-aid kit contain?

Consider these 30 basic first-aid supplies for infant or toddler care.

These items belong in every new parent’s first-aid kit or medicine cabinet for routine baby care and in case of a medical emergency.

NOTE: Written by this author, this copyrighted material originally appeared on another publisher’s site. That site no longer exists. This author holds all rights to this content. No republication is allowed without permission.

Adapted by this user from public domain photo.

1. Acetaminophen - Sold as Tylenol for Infants and other brands, this non-aspirin liquid anti-inflammatory will be useful to reduce pain from teething and other causes. Be sure to select the infant formulation. (The bottle cap is a measuring dropper for easy feeding.) Check with a pediatrician for specific instructions, based on the baby’s weight.
2. Adhesive bandages – Band-Aids or other disposable adhesive strip bandages in various sizes and shapes are baby first-aid kit necessities.
3. Adhesive tape - An assortment of widths will be helpful for various uses. Select the breathable, flexible type, not the shiny stiff ones (which can cause rashes).
4. Antibacterial cream or ointment – Neosporin or other anti-infection products are helpful for cuts and scrapes.
5. Anti-itch cream – Aveeno, calamine, or hydrocortisone cream can soothe itches, bug bites, and rashes.
6. Antiseptic skin cleanser – Use Physoderm or another antiseptic to clean scrapes and cuts. (Hydrogen peroxide is not appropriate for babies, as it can harm delicate tissues.)
7. Bug repellant - Child-safe insect repellent lotions and creams are widely available. Avoid aerosol spray products, which can get into children’s eyes or lungs.
8. Cotton balls – Keep these in the original packaging, or store them in an airtight tub or zippered plastic bag.
9. Cotton swabs – These are helpful for cleaning skin folds and other delicate areas. (Do not stick a cotton swab into a child’s ear, as the ear drum can easily be ruptured.)
10. Decongestant - Liquid decongestants specifically formulated for children are the best choice. (Check with your pediatrician before giving medicine to your baby.)
11. Emergency phone list – Include parents’ cell phones, neighbors’, physicians, and other key emergency contacts.
12. First-aid book or chart – Post this somewhere prominent, where parents and babysitters can find emergency instructions easily.
13. Flashlight – This is helpful for reading thermometers in the dark, or for checking a child’s ears, nose, throat, and more.
14. Gauze wrap and pads – Keep these in their original packaging, if possible, to retain sterility.
15. Hot water bottle – This can provide comfort during a cold or flu, or sooth a muscle ache. (Do not microwave this, and be sure to check heat carefully, so as not to burn an infant!)
16. Ibuprofen – Sold as Advil, Motrin, or other brands, this non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine is excellent for reducing fever. Choose the infant formulation, and follow dosage instructions carefully. (Check with a pediatrician for specific instructions, based on the baby’s weight.)
17. Ice pack – Comfortable, flexible varieties can now be purchased economically. Wrap the ice pack in a soft cloth or blanket before placing on a child’s skin. (Terrycloth Boo-Boo animals can be found in stores.  These are sized to hold an ice cube for soothing a sore spot.)
18. Medication list – Keep a journal of each child’s medicines, including dosage times and amounts.
19. Medicine spoon – Most pharmacies offer tube-like spoons specifically, designed for young children.
20. Nasal aspirator bulb – These are sold in baby departments of discount and drug stores. Use this to clear mucus from a baby’s nose. Clean thoroughly with soap and hot water after each use.
21. Oral syringe – Complete with measuring marks, this is ideal for administering medicines to infants who cannot yet sip from spoons. Boil or wash it in hot, soapy water after each use. (These can also be placed in dishwasher baskets, along with nipples and bottle caps.)
22. Petroleum jelly – Use this to soothe dry skin, ease chapping, and lubricate rectal thermometer before using.
23. Rubbing alcohol – Use this to clean thermometers, tweezers, scissors, and other tools before and after each use.
24. Scissors – Keep these handy for cutting stuck diapers, first-aid tapes, and more. (Rounded ends are safer, as they will not poke a young child.)
25. Soap – Choose a mild liquid soap, such as Ivory. Antibacterial, perfumed, and deodorant soaps may irritate babies’ skin.
26. Special health needs list – Keep a roster of each child’s allergies, medication sensitivities, and other individual health issues.
27. Sunscreen – Baby sun protection lotions are PABA-free, non-stinging, gentle, and generally safest.
28. Thermometer – Traditionally, a rectal thermometer has been used for babies. Now, flexible digital, forehead, and even ear thermometers are also available. A well-stocked first-aid kit will have all three.
29. Tongue depressors – These smooth wooden sticks are used to check a child’s throat. They can also be used as finger-splints, if needed.
30. Tweezers – These will help to remove ticks, slivers, and foreign objects.

A first-aid kit makes a super baby shower or new baby gift.

Feel free to follow on Google Plus and Twitter. Like this blog?  Check out Practically at Home on Facebook. You are invited to visit my author page on Amazon.com.

V is for the Value of a Vapor Bath

Vapor baths are great ... even for grownups.

Ka-choo! Spring allergy season is here. Along with the airborne pollen, plenty of cold viruses are circulating as well. The crazy temperature fluctuations haven’t helped.

Who’s sneezing, sniffling, or simply stuffed up?

Join the club. I’m popping antihistamines and decongestants about daily. The trouble is, my symptoms pop up long before the next dose is due.

What’s a stopped-up sinus sufferer to do?

Here’s something I found when my oldest kid was tiny. I picked up a bottle of baby vapor bath and squirted it under the tub faucet. Immediately, the bathtub was filled with wonderful aromatic bubbles, and I found my stuffy head clearing.

Now, my kids are old enough to drive. But I still buy vapor bath. Today, vapor mineral bath products are even available for grownups.

The stuff is great for relieving congested sinuses, but it’s also ideal for a quiet and soothing soak.  Just don’t get it in your eyes.

Image/s:

Crazy Baby by Mokra - Stock.Xchng Photos

Feel free to follow on Google Plus and Twitter. You are also invited to join this writer's fan page, as well as the Chicago Etiquette Examiner, Madison Holidays Examiner, Equestrian Examiner and Madison Equestrian Examiner on Facebook.

Share

Migraine madness amid the joys of June

June brings the Summer Solstice. Mild, pleasant temperatures and the longest day of the year arrive in the Northern Hemisphere during this lovely month. Brides are wed, and dads and grads are honored.

Why would anyone have a headache in June?

“What is so rare as a day in June?” asked American poet James Russell Lowell (1819-1891). “Then, if ever, come perfect days.”

Perhaps Lowell was right. June is marked by bright, sunny days. School ends, and folks of every age skip outdoors to enjoy summer fun in June. We plan picnics and pick teams for softball and Frisbee tournaments.

But June has a darker side.

As the pollen flies, the mercury climbs, and the sun’s rays seem to grow ever brighter this month. Thus,   headache sufferers may groan in June.

This month, creeping up on the year’s halfway point, is Migraine Awareness Month. The National Headache Foundation presents educational events and programs. Locally, hospitals and health-related organizations offer seminars and workshops on migraine prevention and treatment.

Migraines make any month miserable.

Trust me. I’ve had migraines for decades. OK, individual headaches haven’t lasted that long, but their looming possibilities and frequent offsets might as well have.

Do you have migraine headaches, or do you know someone who does?

Check out these helpful articles on migraines, penned by a host of headache-savvy writers.

Sudden Headaches: 3 Causes and Tips for Headache Relief – Angela Tague

Since the onset of several autoimmune illnesses, I've noticed recurring, sudden headaches. The headaches have occurred for months, and I've figured out my top three triggers--and how to avoid them.

Migraines and Salt Intake – Amy Browne

Many people do not realize the effects that salt has on their bodies. After I had my heart attacks in October of 2009, I had to go on a low salt diet. Within months, I realized that the migraines that plagued me since I was five were gone.

Living with Migraine Headaches: 3 Decades and Counting – Linda Ann Nickerson

8 Traits of Life with Migraines. Migraines are a pain in the neck, a pain in the brain and often a pain from head to toe. Ask any survivor of migraines, the dreaded chronic vascular headaches. What is it like to live with migraine headaches?

Could Your Pain Be from New Daily Persistent Headache? – Vonda J. Sines

It's a chronic type of headache shrouded in mystery. New daily persistent deadache is one of the rarest forms of headaches and is often misdiagnosed.

How to Fight Headaches Naturally With These 3 Foods – R. Elizabeth Kitchen

We have all had a headache at some point. Some of us get them often and would just rather treat them naturally. Here is a detailed list of foods that are purported to be effective for headaches.

Headache Helpers – Linda Ann Nickerson

Anyone who's had a migraine headache knows exactly what no one else can ever understand. Your head throbs. Your neck and back ache. Your stomach is queasy, and your body thermostat has gone haywire. What can you do?

Are Migraines Ruining Your Life? – Cindi Pearce

Migraines are no laughing matter. They can destroy a person's life if left untreated.

Migraine Headaches: Exercise vs. Drugs for Pain Relief – Jillita Horton

Is it possible that exercise can work better at relieving the pain of a migraine headache, than a prescription drug?

10 Natural Migraine Cures – Jennifer Twardowski

Find yourself subject to an agonzing migraine? Look no further! We have 10 natural ways to prevent and cure a migraine.

Acupuncture: A Holistic Approach for Migraine Relief – Tania Cowling

Are you looking for a natural way to relieve the pain of headaches and migraines? Continue reading for information on how acupuncture may deliver the feeling of well-being and quell the pain.

Migraine headaches are misery, during June’s Migraine Awareness Month or anytime. Don’t you wish we could simply wipe migraines off the map?

Related Items:

• 11 Foods to Skip for a Migraine-free Fourth of July – Can headache sufferers find independence from migraine pain on Independence? Patriotic picnic spreads offer tempting varieties. Which traditional Fourth of July foods are most likely to trigger migraines in headache-prone individuals?
• Do Me a Flavor - Avoiding the Nightmare of MSG – A flavor enhancer, MSG over-stimulates brain activity, causing headaches, upset stomachs, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, panic attacks, palpitations, seizures, shortness of breath, mood swings, lethargy, insomnia, and more. How can it be avoided?
• Menstrual Migraines: 5 Ways I Managed the Monthly Mayhem – The menstrual migraine is an ogre, appearing each month. Of women suffering regularly from migraines, two thirds link their headaches to their menstrual periods. Here are five weapons I have used to fight the hormonal horrors of the menstrual migraine.
• Neurologists Link Migraines and Multiple Sclerosis – The American Academy of Neurology revealed a link between migraine headaches and multiple sclerosis. Migraines may be more prevalent among women with MS. This announcement affirms what MS patients have known from personal experience.

Image/s:  

Headache by Shanghai Killer Whale

Creative Commons Licensing/Wikipedia Commons Photos

Excedrin Users:
A recent recall has wiped Excedrin products off store shelves. But you can obtain store-brand equivalents, containing the same ingredients and dosages (aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine). Here's one to try:

Feel free to follow on GooglePlus and Twitter. You are also invited to join this writer's fan page, as well as the Chicago Etiquette Examiner, Madison Holidays Examiner, Equestrian Examiner and Madison Equestrian Examiner on Facebook.

Share

O is for Oh, No! Osteoporosis!

Osteoporosis, I have a bone to pick with you.

OK, that’s not even funny.

In Wisconsin, it’s practically a sacrilege to skimp on dairy.

We love our cheddars, our frozen custard and our ice cream. We order extra cheese on our pizzas. Our restaurants serve real butter with bread baskets.

Like any loyal Badger State denizen, I’ve ODed on calcium. Me? Brittle bones? No way.

 .

 .

So you can imagine my surprise when my doctor ordered a bone density test.

OK, the fact that I sustained 12 fractures (That’s right!) when a sweet young horse turned me into a lawn dart last summer might have had something to do with it. The poor little guy was stung on the rump by a wasp and tried to buck it off, while I happened to be on his back.

There was a lot of whoa-ing, but it was too late.

Big ouch!

I was laid up for weeks, finally graduating to physical therapy. Doctors told me to stay out of the saddle. So I’ve ridden bareback. (Ba-dum-bum!)

In modern medical technology, a dozen bone breaks generally is regarded as cause for sounding the osteoporosis alarm, particularly for an individual who requires reading glasses to sign in at the hospital.

My doctor doesn’t believe that I’m revisiting the age of 30 again and again and again.

So I’ve had a bone density test. I have a giant bottle of calcium tablets and prescription-strength Vitamin D.

I’m gonna take a lesson from that young horse and buck osteoporosis right off my back.

.

 .

Here’s what some of my writing colleagues have to say on this health subject:

Understanding Osteoarthritis and Osteoporosis – Wendy Dawn

Learn the differences in arthritis and osteoporosis, and learn about the symptoms and causes of both osteoiarthritis and osteoporosis.

Decrease Osteoporosis Risk: Increasing Calcium Not Enough – Rebecca Wrenn

Many Americans falsely presume that taking a daily calcium supplement will decrease their risk and protect them from developing osteoporosis in the future. Find out what else is necessary to decrease risk for osteoporosis.

Is it Just the Aches and Pains or Do You Have Osteoporosis? – Sophie Walton

Do not ignore that backache or the loss of height; you could have Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is thought to be an "old woman's disease" but this is not the case. Osteoporosis can affect anyone causing weak and brittle bones.

Calcium Supplements, Osteoporosis and Heart Attack – Jolynne M. Hudnell

How do calcium supplements, osteoporosis and heart attack go together? Calcium supplements are often taken to help prevent osteoporosis. A recent study showed an increased risk of heart attack and stroke in those taking calcium supplements.

Cause of Osteoporosis: Fear of Bulking Up from Lifting Weights – Jillita Horton

Osteoporosis (brittle bone disease) can be caused by your fear of bulking up from lifting weights. I'm a certified personal trainer. A major risk factor for osteoporosis is lack of weight-bearing exercise.

10 Tips to Care for Elderly Osteoporosis – Wendy Dawn

Learn how to provide the best possible care for an elderly patient with osteoporosis. It is not as difficult as you may think.

Last year’s A to Z post: Oops and Odd Typos

 .

 .

Feel free to follow on GooglePlus and Twitter. You are also invited to join this writer's fan page, as well as the Chicago Etiquette Examiner, Madison Holidays Examiner, Equestrian Examiner and Madison Equestrian Examiner on Facebook.

Image/s:

Cheese and Ice Cream

Creative Commons Licensing Photos

2012 A to Z Blogging Challenge logo

Fair Use

Share