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For a growing family, bumps, cuts, and bruises are part and parcel of daily life. While most of the time a simple bandage and a kiss may suffice, sometimes it is far more serious. This is why it is important to keep a well stocked first aid kit, even if it is never used; it is much better to have one and never have to use it than to suddenly need it and not have it!

A first aid kit should be stored in a place that is out of the reach of children, but still easily accessible for adults. For a family, a good idea is to keep one kit in the house or apartment, and a separate one in each car. It should be checked regularly to replace missing items or medicines that may be expired.

While any container could potentially be used as a first aid kit, it is important to choose one that is durable, easy to carry, and simple to open. Plastic tackle boxes or art supply boxes work very well for this.

Cheap, useful, and easily available, adhesive bandages are the staple of a good first aid kit. You should keep at least twenty five bandages in the kit at all times. This may seem like overkill, but it isn't. They should be of various sizes and shapes, from small dots to large pads. Be sure to also keep a set of elastic bandages, as well as sterile gauze and adhesive tape.

Tweezers, scissors, and safety pins can be can be life-savers in an emergency. Another every day life-saver is soap. Be sure to include liquid hand soap and antiseptic wipes. Include a variety of ointments, especially anti-itch ointments, burn ointments, antibiotic creams, and hydrocortisone.

If anyone in your family has prescription medication that they take everyday, such as heart medicine, an inhaler, or insulin, you should try, if possible, to keep backups of these in your first aid kit. Of course, non-prescription medication should have a place in the kit too. Aspirin, ibuprofen, and antacids are important.

There are some particularly important things to include. Be sure to include a disposable cold compress, a non-glass, non-mercury thermometer, and in case you need to perform CPR, be sure to stock a breathing barrier, which you can get from the Red Cross.

It is vital that a first aid kit be prepared for as many possible dangers as possible. To that end, two more items should complete the kit. A list of emergency phone numbers, and a first-aid manual. Be sure that you have read the manual ahead of time, so that it is familiar in the case of an emergency. If your children are old enough, review the manual with them, so that they can be prepared even when you are not there. While no first aid kit can cover all possible situations, having one may just save the life of you or your children.

Learn more about this author, Kristopher Chambers.
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