If you know us in real life you know that if it can happen to someone, it probably happens to us. From clumsy tumbles to colds, flus and even hospital visits, something usually strikes at least one of us during our travels. For that reason, in addition to never leaving home without ample travel insurance coverage, we tend to pack an over-cautious first aid kit because trouble always seems to strike at the least convenient time. And to be honest, who wants to have to go searching for meds in a foreign land when they don’t have to. Depending on where you are going, feel free to add or eliminate any items but this exhaustive list should have you covered. Hopefully this helps keep your family prepared and back to adventuring before you know it!
COLD & FLU
- Thermometer
- Tylenol (infant/child/adult)
- Advil (infant/child/adult)
- Cough Drops
- Sinus/Cold/Flu Medication (adult)
- Saline Nasal Solution (e.g., Salinex) (adult/child)
- Snot Sucker/Nasal Aspirator (infant/child)
TUMMY TROUBLE
- Tums/Antacid (adult)
- Gravol (adult/child)
- Pepto Bismol (adult/child)
- Immodium (adult)
- Rehydration Tablets/Powder (child)
ALLERGIES
- Eye Drops
- Benadryl (child)
- Allergy Medication (adult)
- Hydrocortisone Cream (adult)
- Afterbite (adult/kids)
CUTS & SCRAPES
- Bandaids and other bandages
- Polysporin (adult/child)
HELPFUL EXTRAS
- Hand Sanitizer
- Alcohol Wipes
- Q-tips
- Tweezers
- Sunscreen
- Insect Repellent
- Copies of any prescriptions (e.g., medications, glasses, contacts etc)
- If identified during a pre-travel consultation you may also wish to travel with antibiotics (adult/child/infant) if you may be at risk of certain illnesses while abroad.
Bonus Tips:
- For meds that come in bubble packs, take everything out of the box, place together with an elastic band and write the dosage with a marker on the back. Just make sure to take those pills last.
- Bring an assortment of bandages featuring their favourite colours and cartoon characters to choose from. Sometimes just the act of choosing which Band-Aid is enough to help stop the flow of tears.
- Pack everything into two small bags that will go in your carry-on luggage. The first bag must be a clear, resealable plastic bag and will contain all your liquids and gels. Everything else will be placed in the second. This will keep you organized and make for easy security checks.
From YOW with Love 