Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional so for all the medicines I mention in this article, it’s always best to seek medical advice first before giving it to your toddler.
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If you are anything like me- and the many other mums out there, you will carry a world of things around with you when you are out and about with your toddler.
Extra clothes, nappies, wipes, snacks and juice are all the usual offenders that pull on your shoulders as you transport your mum bag everywhere. One thing that I always carry around with me is a first aid kit- just in case. The last thing you want is for your toddler to be poorly or have an accident, however it’s important to have some supplies on hand for if this happens.
Here is what I have in mine, which may or may not work for you…
Teething gel: Toddlers, although often through the worst of their teething woes will still get achy teeth, especially as the back ones are coming through, so I always have a tube of this with me in case my daughter’s teeth begin to give her pain. One quick application and it means she can eat, talk and play without any distractions. Just be mindful to get one that is age appropriate.
Plasters: Toddlers are notoriously clumsy, so if your little one does have a fall and grazes their knee or elbow, it’s good to have some plasters in your bag to protect the area against rubbing clothes or to stop it from catching on anything which will only make things more uncomfortable for your child. Obviously if your child is allergic to mainstream plasters, you may have to buy ones made from a material that doesn’t aggravate their skin.
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Vapour rub: Especially as the days get colder, your toddler is more prone to snuffles so if you are out and about and your toddler begins to show signs of congestion, a quick rub of this on their chest will help to relieve some of their symptoms and make them breathe easier.
Liquid Paracetamol: Obviously this is entirely up to you as a parent if you give your toddler this as your child might be allergic- as mentioned above, seek medical advice if you are not sure.
This works for my child, however it may not be the right thing for yours and is just an example of what I carry as I know my daughter responds well to this medicine.
Liquid Paracetamol is designed to relieve signs of pain or fever (especially after vaccinations). If you do decide that it is right for your child, make sure to get one that is age appropriate.
Liquid Ibuprofen: Again, it's purely your decision whether to give your child this medicine after speaking to a professional.
Liquid Ibuprofen is designed to help with the reduction of fever, relief from cold and flu symptoms and pain, such as sore throats, teething, toothaches, headaches and minor aches and sprains.
Both this and liquid Parecetamol tend to come with plastic syringe dispensers now to make it even easier to give your child a dose- much better than trying to give them a spoonful as this can have messier results. If you do include this in your first aid kit, be sure to remember the syringe dispenser too.
Nail clippers: Not strictly a first aid item, however really useful when you are away from home. Toddlers are curious beings and like to pick things up with their hands, and often this results in broken or torn fingernails which can make them pretty miserable. A small set of nail clippers will help to trim off any nail that has the potential to catch so they can play without any discomfort.
Nappy rash cream: My daughter is still in nappies so I always carry around a tube of cream to make her bottom less sore when a bout of nappy rash strikes. If you are away from home for a long time and know your toddler has some soreness around their bottom, being able to reapply some throughout the day as you change their nappy will help to keep it at bay.
As with all medical supplies- check the dates on them regularly to make sure they haven’t expired.
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