Holiday accidents are a common occurrence, especially for families on a summer break. Cuts and bruises, tumbles and mishaps, are sometimes inevitable and that it’s often best to expect the unexpected.
Zeinab Ardeshir, pharmacist and co-founder of PillSorted, suggests that all families prepare a small supply of basic medical items ahead of any staycation or trips overseas. She said: "A first aid kit that covers the basics is essential and can save a lot of stress, time and money for families.
“Plus, a foreign pharmacy isn’t the most fun place to practise your language skills. But, with a little bit of preparation and forward planning, you can create a very basic kit which can help little ones – and big ones – recover from the majority of basic illnesses or scrapes.”
Zeinab, who is also a mother of three, has revealed her own first aid kit essentials (in order of importance):
Pain relief: From stomach bugs to ear infections, liquid paracetamol and ibuprofen are vital when it comes to most child-related illnesses and now also come in a handy sachet form
Antihistamines: Allergic reactions, insect bites, hayfever– the list of things that kids can react to in new countries is endless, so it’s always useful to have some antihistamines handy
Antiseptic: For cuts, scrapes and grazes, antiseptic wipes, sprays or creams are essential for treating minor wounds and stopping the spread of infection
Plasters: Different shapes and sizes are always handy, plus a couple of cartoon-themed ones to cheer up your little after a shock fall round the pool always help
Saline wash: Cleaning wounds, rinsing contact lenses, clearing blocked nasal passages – a mini bottle of saline can prove very useful in many situations
Moisturising/barrier cream: for soothing dry skin and chapped lips, you can never go wrong with a soft moisturiser. Zeinab recommends one for sensitive skin to reduce the risk of inflammation
PillSorted is an online personalised pharmacy service that works with the NHS to get medication delivered to patients more effectively. Patients simply nominate PillSorted as their NHS pharmacy and are assigned a personal pharmacist, who coordinates prescriptions, offers ongoing advice and support and schedules regular delivery of medication and dosage instructions in one simple package.
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