Child not feeling well? When your medicine cabinet is well stocked, the cure is just a moment away.
It’s 11:05 p.m. The pharmacy just closed. The kids are all sleeping. Except for the one who’s coughing and coughing and just can’t stop. He could really use some cough medicine, but there’s just no practical way to make it happen.
Has something like this happened to your family? We’ve put together a list of (mostly) over the counter medications and first aid items that are good to have on hand for times like these.
When it comes to the summer months when colds and coughs are not as common and kids are more active, it’s the first aid items that come in super handy–like those Ace Bandages and Disposable Ice Packs. See our comments below.
Infants’ Tylenol and Children’s Tylenol For fever and pain.
Infants’ Motrin and Children’s Motrin Also for fever and pain. Some doctors prefer ibuprofen; the effects of ibuprofen last longer than those of acetaminophen.
Children’s Delsym This is the best over the counter cough suppressant that doctors recommend.
Benadryl and Children’s Benadryl These can be helpful to quell those allergic reactions.
Pepto Bismol The antidote for upset stomach and nausea.
Dramamine Kids The go-to for motion sickness-related nausea.
Children’s Claritin The must for those who suffer from seasonal allergies.
Gentian Violet The fastest way to get rid of thrush.
AZO Urinary Pain This is the best relief you can get before heading to a doctor, or stopping pain before it gets worse.
AZO UTI Test Strips For those with a tendency to UTI infections, this could be your first check before heading to the pediatrician.
Reese’s Pinworm Medicine Pinworm symptoms tend to show up in the night, so you’ll want to be able to treat them right away.
Ace bandage Wrap a sore limb after a fall if you can’t get to a doctor right away. Sometimes that extra attention is all that’s needed to magically mend the injury.
Finger Splints For the same reason as the Ace Bandages above.
Disposable Ice Packs Be ready for all the bumps and bruises of summer – without crowding your freezer.
After Bite Mosquito bites can keep kids from falling asleep. This will help take a bit of the itch away.
Bacitraycin Make sure to be prepared for all cuts and scrapes.
Oxaflacin (pink eye drops). This is a prescription medication. Along with croup medication, your pediatrician might recommend keeping this on hand if your children have a tendency to these conditions. Nebulizer solutions can also be important in some households.
A couple of homeopathic remedies we also like to have on hand are Herbal Power Wound Care and Arnica tablets and gel.
If you have a wood deck or if your children tend to get splinters in the summertime, Splinter-Out is useful. School nurses keep this on hand and it’s the most painless way to remove a splinter.
Oh! Make sure to get some of these disposable medicine cups, too! And make sure to check out our medicine dose tracking hack!
Now tell us – what’s in your medicine cabinet? What do you always make sure to have in the house?
GARLIC SUPPOSITORIES!!
I’ve used Reese’s pinworm medication once, poor child. I felt like I was forcing clay down her throat!
I’ve been using garlic suppositories instead
Nowadays I put the suppositories in as soon as the child complains of discomfort (she knows when she has pinworms….) and it’s back into bed (change underwear and pants first)
I don’t even do the 30 day regimen.
I use as needed and B”H it works for us
I make sure to pack it in when leaving
Do you have a link to the garlic suppository?
I buy it locally at the health food store (supreme in Lakewood) I can try to find it on Amazon
Ask your own pediatrician but I was told that infants motrin/tylenol is the same as the children’s, the top of the bottle is just different (and the price). So it may not be necessary to have both on hand.
Infants Motrin is concentrated and not the same strength as childrens Motrin, but infants Tylenol is the same strength as childrens Tylenol due to risk of mix-up and potential overdose.
Keeping a stock of Steroids for croup and nebulizer treatments are unfortunately a must in my house. And benedryl + epipen.
The disposable medicine cups are amazing.
A tweezer is also super duper important to have on hand for tick removal
Ask your own doctor, but I’ve heard that cough medicine has some ingredients in it that can cause more harm and that it shouldn’t be given to children (or adults)
steristrips and liquid bandages! no one should ever need theem
We spray mosquito bites with dermoplast it works great!
Sterile saline solution to go in the nebulizer! It’s over the counter and can be great when the kids are just croupy and dry hacking… No need for steroids every time (unless you know… you’re the mother:)
Probiotics. Most of mt kids love the gummies even if they are not the ‘top’ probiotic out there. On that topic, any recommendation for a good probiotic for a 1 year old that doesn’t burn their throat going down? too young for gummies / chewable.
BioGaia probiotic drops are great.
Aloe and calendula for sunburn
can’t belive no one mentioned burn gel! that is the most used in my house….