Traveler's First Aid Kit
What should a traveler's first aid kit include?
The American College of Emergency Physicians and the CDC encourage travelers to pack a first-aid kit or a travel health kit so that common medical emergencies can be properly handled should they occur. Pack the following items in your carry-on bag and keep it with you at all times:
Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and/or aspirin to relieve headaches, pain, fever, and simple sprains or strains
Antihistamines to relieve allergies
Antacid medication
Antinausea or motion sickness medication (You may also want to include medication for altitude sickness if traveling to high altitudes.)
Antibacterial hand wipes or an alcohol-based hand cleaner (should contain 60% alcohol or more)
Bandages of assorted sizes to cover minor cuts and scrapes
Bandage closures, such as butterfly bandages, to tape edges of minor cuts together
Triangular bandage to wrap injuries and make an arm sling
Elastic wraps to wrap wrist, ankle, knee, and elbow injuries
Gauze in rolls, as well as 2-inch and 4-inch pads to dress larger cuts and scrapes
Adhesive tape to keep gauze in place
Scissors with rounded tips to cut tape, gauze, or clothes, if necessary (Note that this may not be allowed in your carry-on bag if traveling by air.)
Safety pins to fasten splints and bandages
Antiseptic wipes to disinfect wounds or clean hands, tweezers, scissors, or other utensils
Antibiotic ointment to prevent infection in cuts, scrapes, and burns
Hydrogen peroxide to clean and disinfect wounds
Disposable, instant-activating cold packs to cool injuries and burns, as well as for use in strains and sprains
Tweezers to remove small splinters, foreign objects, bee stingers, and ticks from the skin (Note that this may not be allowed in your carry-on bag if traveling by air.)
Disposable rubber gloves to protect hands and reduce risk of infection when treating wounds
Thermometer to take temperatures in case of illness
Calamine lotion to relieve itching and irritation from insect bites and poison ivy
Hydrocortisone cream to relieve irritation from rashes
Sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher
Aloe gel for sunburns
Insect repellent (Those appropriate for use on children should contain no more than 10% to 15% DEET, and 30% to 50% DEET or up to 15% of picaridin for adults, as the chemical can cause harm when absorbed through the skin.)
Over-the-counter medicine for diarrhea (Talk to your doctor about a prescription for an antibiotic you can take in case of diarrhea.)
Cough and cold medicines
Epinephrine auto-injector for individuals with severe allergies
List of prescription medications and generic names
Latex condoms
Water purification tablets
Extra pair of contact lenses or prescription glasses
Be sure to follow the same precautions with the medicines in your first aid kit as you do with all medications, and use only as recommended by your doctor. Make sure children cannot get into the first-aid bag; use child safety caps whenever possible. Also be aware of volume limits in carry-on bags. Some of these items may need to be packed in your checked luggage while flying. Check expiration dates and discard medication that is out-of-date. If someone has a life-threatening allergy, carry the appropriate medication with you at all times.