Parents, believe it or not, you don’t need to have a medicine cabinet fully stocked with everything they sell in the drug store. Honestly, for kids, there are only a few things that you should have on hand to be prepared for what comes your way. So, here are the top 5 items you should have in your medicine cabinet, as recommended by Mama Nurse.
Respiratory and Flu season are upon us and the best way to get through it is with supportive care. Supportive care means you are supporting your child to deal with symptoms, and helping them to feel as good as they can while they are sick. Indeed, it is hard to watch your child be sick. But, it will pass!
Here are the 5 absolute “must-haves” for your home. Everything else is just nice to have when you might need it. This holds true for infants and children of all ages from newborn through teens.
Top 5 items you should have in your medicine cabinet
1. Acetaminophen (Brand name - Tylenol)
Uses: For pain and fever.
Dosing: The dosing is on the bottle, or you can use these handy dosage charts to find the correct dose for your child based on their weight.
Never give more than one dose every 4 to 6 hours, or with other products that contain acetaminophen.
I always used the dye free for my kids, although you don’t have to. My oldest was very sensitive to artificial sweeteners and coloring so it’s something I usually avoid.
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Ibuprofen
(Brand name – Advil, motrin)
Uses: For pain and fever.
-Do NOT give to infants less than 6 months.
-Never give more than one dose every 6 hours.
-See these dosage charts for more specific dosing information.
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Saline spray
– Comes in liquid or mist forms for stubborn stuffy noses.
-You can use it as often as you need it.
-Works great with this nose frida snot sucker (which is another must-have for all new parents too:). It is also a great baby shower gift!
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Diphenhydramine (brand name – Benadryl)
– Keep this on hand for allergies or allergic reactions.
– This is not recommended to be given to your child to make them sleep.
– Administer once every 4-6 hours.
– Dosing is based on age and weight.
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– my GO TO for (almost) everything skin-related.
– Put on diaper rash, burns, chapped lips, scrapes or eczema. Great for healing scabs too.
-Put three times a day on healing scabs to keep them moist as they heal.
-Use as much as needed for itchy dry skin or chapped lips.
-I even use it for lip gloss. Definitely buy this in bulk – you will use it!
-The regular healing ointment is best for most general use stuff. For a diaper barrier cream, the healing ointment works fine, but the baby ointment is thicker and better for diaper rash prevention
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That's all you need!
That’s it guys! Keep it simple and just get the basics. Kids don’t need lots of medications.
Remember, cough and cold medications should not be used routinely, and should never be used for children under 6 years old.
It’s best to support them through an illness and let them heal with time. As always, if you having urgent concerns, or questions about medications, contact your Pediatrician.
You got this!
Love,
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