It’s summer holiday time and whether that’s a staycation or trip abroad, it’s always a good idea to bring a medical kit with you, as a just in case.
As a GP and mum of two, the video and list below go through my top tips!
Bug sprays and insect repellents
This year, as we’re going somewhere tropical, we have an insect repellent spray for my husband and I. For the kids, have some mozzipatch, which go onto their clothes.
If you do get bitten, it’s always good to have some antihistamines on hand for both adults and children.
Antiseptics and Plasters
Cuts and scrapes are common on holidays so it’s great to have some antiseptics and plasters on hand.
My number one recommendation is Germolene. It’s an antiseptic cream that also has a local anaesthetic in, so it’s fantastic for cleaning wounds and also for numbing them so they’re not as painful.
I also bring some Compeed blister plasters, alongside normal plasters. We always bring some tweezers for removing splinters. Also, some antiseptic hand gel is really handy for when you’re dealing with cuts and scrapes.
Sudocrem is also great for any chafing.
Stomach Bug Treatment
Upset stomachs and stomach bugs are common on holidays, so we bring Diarolyte rehydration solution, Gaviscon, which is also good for any overindulgence, and Buscopan, which helps relieve stomach cramps.
Some people take Imodium on holiday. I don’t tend to. It can be used, but what I would say is that I would use it with caution and only use it when absolutely necessary such as on long bus trips. It’s always important to make sure that diarrhoea isn’t infective before you use any prolonged course of Imodium.
General Illness Treatments
For general illnesses, as someone always manages to catch a cold, we bring children’s Calpol, and Nurofen, and then paracetamol and ibuprofen for the adults.
I always try and make sure we have some Lemsip on hand as well.
Travel Sickness Treatment
For travel sickness we use promethazine, which is available over the counter, but you can also buy Kwells, which you can use for younger kids.
