10 Things You Should Keep in Your First Aid Kit

Whether it is a child who falls off their bike and badly skins a knee, a teenager playing basketball in the driveway who twists an ankle, or an adult making dinner who accidentally touches a hot coil while taking the casserole out of the oven and gets burned…

Accidents happen at home ALL.THE.TIME.

And you need to be prepared!

While many people have a medicine cabinet prepared for illness, a shocking number are not ready for injuries beyond a minor scrape here and there.

Here are 10 things you should have in your home emergency first aid kit:

• Large Bandages and gauze pads & tape – to stop bleeding and cover wounds too big for a standard band-aid.
• Antiseptic wipes, ointment, and/or spray – to clean cuts and scrapes before bandaging.
• Hydrocortisone cream – for relief from itchy bug bites or rashes.
• Aloe Vera Gel –  to soothe mild burns (check out this post to learn how to treat severe burns)
• Antihistamine – to reduce allergic reactions.
• Tweezers – to remove splinters or ticks.
• Scissors – to cut bandages, gauze, and tape.
• Safety pins – to hold bandages or clothing in place.
• A first aid manual – to guide how to treat medical emergencies.
• A flashlight – to help you find what you need in the dark.

Other things you might want to keep on hand in case of an emergency are:

• A brace for limbs that have been sprained in the past and are susceptible to becoming reinjured.
• Crutches in case of a serious sprain or suspicion of a broken ankle/foot/leg.
• An extra inhaler for anyone who suffers from breathing problems.
• Any equipment given to you or a member of your household by a doctor because of a previous injury that has the potential to recur