Medicine Chest Checklist
cotton balls (to clean ears)
cotton-tipped swabs (to clean umbilical-cord area, not ears)
bandages, in assorted shapes and sizes
sterile gauze pads and bandage rolls (1-inch and 2-inch varieties)
hydrogen peroxide
adhesive tape
sharp scissors with rounded ends
nasal aspirator
saline nose drops
rubbing alcohol (to clean thermometers)
petroleum jelly
bacitracin ointment
thermometer--rectal (with short round bulb)
thermometer--digital rectal (faster and easier to use on squirming bottoms)
thermometer--tympanic (for use in the ear; faster but more expensive)
thermometer--axillary (for use in the underarm; faster but more expensive)
acetaminophen
ibuprofen (for use in infants 6 months and older)
decongestant drops
syrup of ipecac
tweezers and a small packet of needles (for removing splinters)
diarrhea medicine
diaper-rash ointment
glycerin suppositories
ice pack
hot-water bottle
cool-mist vaporizer or humidifier (to help clear stuffy noses)
facial tissues
a list of phone numbers, including your pediatrician and local ambulance, police, and poison-control center
