How to create a first aid kit
Fill up your first aid kit with essentials for an emergency.
NO parent likes to think about this, but thousands of South African children die every year, as a result of drowning, burns, poisoning and falls from bunk beds, roofs, roller skates and skateboards.
This article unpacks the importance of a first aid kit and essential contents, so you’re prepared for situations where urgent treatment for an injury is required – or when professional medical care is either unavailable or unnecessary.
ALSO READ: 5 steps to keep children safe at home
Some of the most common incidents that can happen at home include:
Burns and scalds
Cuts and grazes
Ingesting chemicals
Fever
Headaches
Insect bites
ALSO READ: What to do at an accident scene
What should you include?
Nurse and first aid author Linda Buys said your first aid kit can’t do without the following basics:
-Adhesive and duct tape, to hold a dressing or splint in place
-‘Butterfly’ bandages, to hold the edges of a cut together
-Non-stick sterile bandages, for simple cuts or abrasions
-Sterile gauze, to control bleeding and prevent contamination
-Sterile roller bandages, to support sprained or sore muscles
-Anti-itch lotion, for relief of insect bites, itching and minor skin irritations
-Antibiotic ointment, to prevent infection of minor wounds
-Antiseptic ointment, solution, spray or wipes, for cleansing wounds
-Cotton wool, cotton balls, and cotton buds or swabs
-Disposable non-latex medical gloves (several pairs)
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