Herbal First Aid Kit: Putting Together an All Natural 'Boo Boo' Bag for Your Child

An herbal first aid kit……..HMMMM……. I hadn't really put too much thought into it. Until the other day when I was digging through our first aid kit, also known as our 'boo boo bag' for antibiotic ointment for our daughter. It struck me that we generally do not medicate our daughter, so what was I doing heading for your everyday antibiotic ointment?

We are pretty much an all-natural family; we eat organic foods, everything in our house is non-toxic and we generally steer clear of medications if it can be helped. But for some reason when it came to our first aid kit I just simply forgot!

Now that our daughter is a toddler, and since the toddler years are often affectionately referred to as the "first-aid" years which means we can expect many more trips to the first aid kit, we realized that we are going to need an industrial size first aid kit. We decided it was important to pull together an all natural, organic first aid kit to use on the go.

After doing a bit of research I came up with a list of simple, easy to find natural remedies, salves and oils that work fantastic in place of your traditional medicines found in a first aid kit. Here is a list of what I found:

Tea Tree:

- Nature's natural antiseptic. You can use it full strength or diluted (1part tea tree to 10 parts water) - You can also use it as an insect repellent. Fill a spray bottle with three ounces water, one ounce witch hazel or aloe vera juice, and 24 drops tea tree oil. Tea tree oil can also be applied to insect bites to stop the itching.

Aloe Vera:

- Works wonderful to ease the pain of burns, including sunburns and to encourage healing.

- Use it to treat muscle cramps and headaches, rub this salve on the affected muscle or temples, avoiding the eyes.

- Provides immediate relief for the sting or itch of insect bites. - This remedy also helps in healing burns. Use lavender oil undiluted on the skin, or put a few drops in a lukewarm tub.

- This astringent is a good topical treatment that can be used as a disinfectant to clean skin, relieve itching and - It can also be used as a liniment for sore muscles and growing pains.

- Can be used for sunburns, bug bites or anything that itches.

- The first remedy to think of in any case of injury, arnica is used for injuries in the soft parts of the muscles to alleviate bruises, joint inflammation, muscle strain/soreness and minor sprains. You can massage arnica tincture onto unbroken skin every three to four hours to reduce pain and swelling and promote healing. Arnica is available in oil, cream, drops and homeopathic tablets. Do not use Arnica on open wounds.

- Helps ease stress and stabilize the emotions during times of upset. It has a calming effect in a wide range of stress-inducing situations. Can be used safely for children after any kind of minor upset or accident or to help them relax at night. It is even recommended for calming pets when traveling.

- And excellent healer when applied on wounds such as cuts, grazes, scrapes and then bandaged.

• (20) Adhesive bandages various sizes.
• (1) 5" x 9" sterile dressing.
• (1) Conforming roller gauze bandage.
• (2) Triangular bandages.
• (2) 3 x 3 sterile gauze pads.
• (2) 4 x 4 sterile gauze pads.
• (1) Roll 3" cohesive bandage.
• (2) Germicidal hand wipes or waterless alcohol-based hand sanitizer or wipes.
• (6) Antiseptic wipes.
• (2) Pair large medical grade non-latex gloves.
• Adhesive tape, 2" width.
• Cold pack.
• Scissors (small, personal).
• Tweezers.
• CPR breathing barrier, such as a face shield.

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