Recently I was contacted by Premier Healthcare and Hygiene and was given the opportunity to ask some of there experts all about first aid in the home and the essential items I need for both myself and my family. Heres the questions I asked and the advice I received.

1. I have a young baby who is 13 months old and a 9 year old step son, what main essential first aid items would you recommend I keep in the house?

Its important to have a well-stocked first aid kit in your home, so you can deal with minor accidents and injuries. Your first aid kit should be locked and kept in a cool, dry place, out of reach of children. Many people also keep a small first aid kit in their car for emergencies.

Your basic first aid kit may contain:

• plasters, in a variety of different sizes and shapes
• small, medium and large sterile gauze dressings
• at least two sterile eye dressings
• triangular bandages
• crêpe rolled bandages
• safety pins
• disposable sterile gloves
• tweezers
• scissors
• alcohol-free cleansing wipes
• sticky tape
• thermometer, preferably digital
• skin rash cream, such as hydrocortisone or calendula
• cream or spray to relieve insect bites and stings
• antiseptic cream
• painkillers such as paracetamol (or infant paracetamol for children), aspirin (not to be given to children under 16), or ibuprofen
• cough medicine
• antihistamine tablets
• distilled water, for cleaning wounds
• eye wash and eye bath

It may also be useful to keep a basic first aid manual or instruction booklet with your first aid kit. Medicines should be checked regularly to make sure they are within their use-by dates.

2. Why do you recommend those particular items?

These items cover pretty much every emergency in the home. I would also include burns dressings. A 10cm x 10cm or 3.5g sachet of Burnshield would be ideal.

3. Is there any differences to first aid essentials when taking a trip abroad?

Not for general first aid. Depending upon where in the world you are travelling you may need vaccinations. Also when travelling to less developed countries it’s advisable to take your own emergency medical supplies such as needles, syringes and sutures as doctors and dentists may not have correctly sanitised equipment.

4. Is there any first aid items people tend to buy and perhaps dont need?

Everything has its purpose and depends upon the specific situation.

5. Is it advisable for people to just buy a kit thats already made, or easier and more cost effective to buy the essentials separately?

It is generally more cost effective to buy a fit for purpose first aid kit (such as the Premier BS-8599-1 Compliant First Aid Kit (Small) 1 10 Person) and then add to it depending on the level of risk of injury.

6. Im hoping to add to my family in the near future, is there anything you recommend me getting for a safe and healthy pregnancy?

No additional recommendations.

7. Is there particular first aid or hygiene items you cant use when pregnant that perhaps we may not be aware of?

It’s advisable to use Hypo-Allergenic plasters (such as the Steroplast washproof range) which do not contain latex – thus eliminating the risk of allergic reaction to latex. Ensure bandages and dressings are not medicated and sterile where labelled. Always read the label on any creams or ointments additionally purchased.

8. When dealing with a cut or scrape, which lets face it with young children is quite often, is there a quick and easy procedure you recommend and what items should we use? Or is it a case of just putting a plaster on which is normally what I would do?

It would of course depend on the nature and type of wound. Small cuts and scrapes should be cleaned thoroughly using an alcohol free wipe and covered with a plaster to keep the wound clean.

Larger wounds should be judged on a case by case basis. Always seek professional medical attention if unsure.

9. Finally is there any extra essential care and products we need to deal with the heatwave we are experiencing?

For bad sunburn I would recommend the Burnshield blott sachets and sprays

Other products to consider are the Instant Ice packs and reusable hot/cold packs.

Both products have multi-function use and can be used to provide a cooling effect on burns and overheating, or can be used to reduce inflammation on sprains and and strains.

I hope this has helped you as much as it has educated me.