When I travel, I’m ‘that’ girl. The one with the checklist. The one barking orders at my teen girls to check just one more time that they have packed their sunscreen and their bathing suits. The one who is in charge of the passports. I’m the one with the big carry-on stuffed full of essentials and a travel first aid kit we can’t live without because I want to be ready for whatever the world or trip may throw at as! I’m also the one who gets the big THANK YOU’s when that first aid kit gets used. Why? Because in real life, accidents, illness, stuff…it just happens.
When I pack my family for a trip to the sunny south, beyond including the essential clothes and documents needed for travel, I also always throw in a small yet fairly complete first aid kit. In travel, as in life, it’s always better to be prepared! Here are my recommendations for what to include in a travel first aid kit:
- All prescription medications
- Hand Sanitizer and Anti-Bacterial Hand Wipes – great for the planes or for quick hand cleans when their is no water available
- Gum, mints and earplugs – for popping ears on airplanes
- Band-Aids of varying sizes including blister bandaids
- Gauze Pads
- Topical Antibiotic – Polysporin or any other travel size topical antibiotic for cuts and scrapes
- Antiseptic wound cleanser or small alcohol pads- for cleansing wounds
- Ear drops – over the counter product for swimmers ear can save your trip
- Tensor wrap – for sprains or strains
- Tweezers
- Digital Thermometer
- Advil/Tylonel
- Gravol
- Oral rehydration solution packets
- An Antidiarrheal Medication – Immodium
- Tums/Rolaids
- Hydrocortisone cream – for minor skin irritation
- Antihistamine – such as Benadryl
- Bug Spray including DEET
- After Bite
- Aloe – for possible sunburns
- Lip Balm – for chapped lips or sunburned lips
- Cough or Cold and Flu Medicine
- Throat Lozenges
- Orajel – for unexpected tooth pain
- Ziplock bags – handy should you ever need to make an icepack
- Tiger Balm – for headaches or sore muscles
- Wax – for that teen with braces
Also be sure to include:
- Copies of all prescriptions – incase you need to replace one that gets lost
- Copy of your travel and health insurance
- Emergency phone numbers – Doctor, pharmacist, emergency contacts at home
When packing be sure to check the travel section of your grocery and drug store, scope out the dollar store or even ask your family physician if they have samples they can share. Fold boxes down to their smallest sizes, making them even smaller by securing them with elastics. Buy small sizes, but be prepared. You may never need your first aid kit, but if you do, you or someone you love will be so happy you took the time to put together a first class travel first aid kit. Healthy travels!
it’s true, packing one of these would save you a lot of time and money. i remember buying toiletries in the Dominican Republic and they were so expensive. it’s also a bit awkward buying them there because they keep everything behind a counter instead of like a regular store.
You know, most of these things I wouldn’t even think of bringing on a vacation, but I should! Thanks for the list. It’s an important one.
Great list although I don’t panic if I forget something which of course I always do ! Need to start being a lister 🙂
What a great list! Definitely a few things on it I wouldn’t think off.
I’m going to laminate everything, my luck my first trip if get the runs
That is a wonderful list, it certainly helps to be prepared!
Thanks for this, as a nurse there were a few things I didn’t even think of.
Great list, some things that I definitely hadn’t considered.
As much as you’ve traveled, I believe that there is a reason for everything on your list!
Thank you, I am going on a trip soon and this will come in handy!
I was surprised at how much easier it was to pack years ago when using lists like this. I really like this one.
Loved this list, it sounds like a lot but for a family it’s not that much. I especially loved the Ziplock bags for ice packs that really is a super idea. I would also like to remind everyone to please buy health insurance when travelling – I did thankfully, since I ended up unconscious on a trip to Australia, a hospital visit, lots of Drs visits and big bills, thank heavens I had insurance.
Holy moly I would have thought over over half of them. Sounds like a suitcase all of its own. What are oral rehydration solution packs? I’ve never heard of them.
What a great list! Thank you.
Wow! That is quite the list of items; but all incredibly helpful if needed…
I tend to carry basic items with me on holidays like antacids and immodium; but have found myself in need of a medication I didn’t have and boy was that overwhelming to be in a foreign country at the pharmacy trying to figure out what I was looking at…
Basically, I ended up choosing the package with the guy holding his back in discomfort as that was what I was experiencing and hoped for the best.. oy! I should have been better prepared