As its name implies, an emergency kit contains some of the most basic supplies needed during an emergency, such as medical essentials, clean water, and a change of clothes, among other things. Families can prepare multiple types of emergency kits according to the need. 

But in this post, the focus is on emergency kits for children. This is a kit small enough to bring with you in the car when you’re out and about but also complete to take care of your kids during an unfortunate incident. While parents aim to avoid accidents to the best of their ability, no one can really tell when one may happen. And so, it’s best to be prepared for possible scenarios such as injuries.

With that said, here’s a checklist of items to include in your child’s emergency kit.

• Sugar Tong Splint

A sugar tong splint is a type of splint that can be folded into a U-shape to immobilize the ankle, wrist, or arm. The U-shape is what helps the splint do its job in minimizing motion on the affected area to avoid any further complications.

SAM Medical states that this can be used before medical help comes. And considering children can be prone to fall and slip accidents, this is a must-have in your kit to help you attend to your kid’s injury should an accident happen.

• Personal Medicines

For kids, the most basic medicine the kids need is Paracetamol. You need this just in case your child is suddenly running a high fever. Another situation can be when your child has been injured, the Paracetamol can also help reduce the pain sensation.

For parents of children with specific health needs, that’s when your emergency kit needs to have more medicines. For instance, your kid may have a prescription medicine for a chronic disorder they’re suffering from, or they need an inhaler for asthma or epinephrine injections for allergies. Whatever the case is, be sure to have both the medicine and the prescription on your child’s emergency kit.

• Flashlight

Not all emergencies are accidents. Say you’re out for the night with the children, and suddenly the power in your location went out. Sure, your cellphone has a built-in flashlight, but you wouldn’t want to use your battery up since you’ll need your phone to make some calls. A flashlight is something handy to have in those situations. 

On the other hand, parents may also use a flashlight for medical purposes, such as to check their kid’s mouth or throat, in instances when there’s fear that something may be stuck in there.

• Drinking Water

Many parents have made it a habit to bring their kids their own bottled water when they’re out and about. However, there are still those who’d rather not, as they’re sure they can buy one along the way anyway. This may be true, but not with absolute certainty. And so, it’s still a prudent move to have potable and drinking water in your car or your kids’ belongings, especially during longer trips.

Moreover, the clean water you have can go a long way, not just for drinking per se but even in cleaning and washing wounds, in case of accidents. This is especially since washing with contaminated water may only worsen the condition by spreading bacteria into that open wound.

• Food Supply & Snacks

Aside from water, you can also pack food supplies or snacks in your children’s emergency kit. There’s ready-made food for kids where all you have to do is pour hot water, and you’ll either have food, oatmeal, or porridge, to name a few.

While this isn’t meant to replace cooked food at home, it’s good enough in the event of an emergency. At least for the first few days, you’re sure you have something to feed the kids to keep them healthy.

• Hygiene Essentials

Personal hygiene should still be practised even when you’re dealing with an emergency. This is very important, particularly for children, as it can help keep the immune system strong and prevent the spread of diseases. 

For children, you can pack the basic personal hygiene items in their emergency kits, such as a toothbrush, a small toothpaste, and soap. For younger kids, don’t forget to include diapers in your list to pack.

Wrapping Up

Emergencies do happen when you least expect them to. Preparedness can often make a significant impact between having a better outcome from the accident and one that’s not very favourable. Hopefully, you’ll never end up using the items in your emergency kit, but they can be a lifesaver in instances when you actually need them. 

The kit above isn’t absolute but can be a good start. Be sure to tweak your list according to your child’s specific needs and age.