Dossier: Our baby

What you need in your infant first-aid kit

Having a well-stocked infant first-aid kit means you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that you have the right aids to hand whatever the situation. The most important products to have in your infant first-aid kit:

photo: Sanitas

Burn ointment

Relieves pain in case of minor burns. Important: only apply after cooling with water for approximately 10 minutes and never apply to blisters or open wounds!

Coldpack

Gel-filled coldpacks relieve pain if your child bumps her head, leg or arm. For immediate use, coldpacks must be kept in the freezer.

Regular medication

This includes any medicines your child takes regularly or in specific emergencies (e.g. in case of asthma or allergies).

Oral rehydration solution

Needed to replace lost fluids and salts as quickly as possible in case of diarrhoea and vomiting. Dehydration can quickly become dangerous for babies and young children. Tip: if you cool the solution before giving it to your baby, it won’t taste so salty.

Thermometer

It’s best to use a digital thermoeter that measures the temperature precisely within seconds. Ask your paediatrician which thermometer is best depending on the age of your child.

Suppositories or syrup against pain or high temperatures

There are special antipyretics for children – do not give them adult medicines or any product containing aspirin. Consult your doctor before giving your baby pain suppositories or syrup.

Cough mixture

You rarely have to give medicine against mild coughs. From the age of two, you can give your child a mild cough mixture if he can’t sleep at night. In case of severe coughing or a high temperature, always consult your doctor before giving medicines.

Cold remedies (nose drops/saline solution)

Babies often get colds in the first few months. As they need to breathe through their nose while breastfeeding or drinking from a bottle, a blocked nose can be quite distressing. When symptoms first appear, a sterile, isotonic saline solution can help. With heavier colds, ask your paediatrician for age-appropriate nose drops.

Anti-itching gel

Relieves itching caused by insect bites, has a cooling effect.

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