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I remember when my son was about three months old. He had his first fever and being not only a first time mom, but also a young mother with no support system, I was in a panic. I swore to myself I would never again be caught without the right tools to handle a middle of the night fever. No one had warned me that to be a mom you also have to be an all night pharmacy but I have learnt and below you will find a number of the must-haves for any mother’s medicine cabinet.
Cough mixture – Speak to your pharmacist as some are for dry coughs and some will only help a wet phlegmy cough.
Skin cream for nappy rash or other dry skin problems.
Decongestant tablets or creams. These will really help you open your child’s breathing passages especially in winter when they tend to have colds and flu. Try and get a pine or menthol decongestant, as these will keep the air passages open for longer.
Rehydration powder is a must for any family with small children. These powders contain minerals and salts which replace those lost when a child has been throwing up a lot or has had an upset stomach. Most of them are safe for children over three months old.
Every first aid kit in the home should also contain the following:
An antibacterial cream or wash (for cuts and scrapes).
Cotton wool
Anti-histamine
Gauze squares, eye pads and eye bandages
Crepe bandages and adhesive dressings
Surgical tape and or safety pins
A thermometer
Insect spray
An eye bath
Tweezers (for thorns or glass)
Blunt nosed scissors
After sun burn lotion
Calamine lotion
Arnica oil or cream (for bruises, bumps or muscle pain)
Always make sure that you lock the medicine cabinet so that your child cannot get hold of any medicines. Ensure that old or out of date medicine has been returned to the pharmacy or disposed of by emptying down the drain. Never allow your child to play with old or empty medicine bottles and avoid taking any medication in your child’s presence. Always measure his or her medicine out of sight and store the bottle away before actually giving them their dose, and never pretend that the medicine is a sweet. Your child may swallow an entire bottle of ‘sweets’ should he see them somewhere other than home. As obvious as it may seem, many parents do not lock away all cleaning materials, poisons or alcohol out of a child’s reach. A bottle of alcohol you may enjoy can be fatal to a toddler.
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