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Send your kid back to college prepared with all the basic medical supplies in case they get sick. Check out our DIY College First Aid Kit!
DIY College First Aid Kit
If I’m being honest, I always feel a little nervous when I think about sending my kiddos off to live in college dorm rooms.Â
So to help me feel a little better, we put together a College First Aid Kit of Supplies.
After talking with a few physicians, pediatricians, and pharmacists, we put together the following list of college first aid supplies to make sure our kids have everything they need in case they do get sick, saving them a late night trip to the pharmacy. (And a seriously over-anxious mom on the other end of the phone!)
This is great to get done now if your student is heading to school in the fall – trust me, they'll appreciate it!
As always, please check with your family physician/pediatrician before giving/using any of the following items.
Tips for Putting Together a College First Aid Kit:
1 – Purchase smaller sized bottles and containers of supplies for your college first aid kit
Since college students don't have much storage space, sending smaller bottles of over the counter medications will make sure they don't take up too much room. And, buying smaller amounts is a good idea as it helps to keep things from going past the expiration dates (then you can re-stock supplies when kids come home for a break from school).
2 – Buy generic when available.
Brand names are expensive, so if you're able, purchase generic medicines to keep costs down. Writing the popular name brand on the generic bottle will help kids identify what they're looking for in the wee hours of the night (and they'll learn what the actual names of the medicines are instead of just their brand names).
3 – Make the college first aid kit supplies work for your child.Â
There are a million things you could add to a college first aid supply kit, but focus on the most important items first, then add in extras if you can. A bug bite isn't usually a huge deal, but if you live in a mosquito prone area, make sure you have that item.
Make sure your kiddos have at least the basics as they head off to school (if you don't have time to create one yourself, you can also check out this basic First Aid Kit Supplies set too.)
4 – Find the easiest way for your child to access medical care if they do get sick.
My son is at a large university, and got a pretty nasty cold during his freshman year. Even though he wasn't all that far away from us, it wasn't easy to just run down and pick him up and bring him home (but in the middle of the night, we had no idea where the on-campus medical facilities were, and they had long lines!).
We learned then that on his campus, the best option was to find a local Immediate Care Center, so we located one closest to his dorm. Some schools have a college health center, but others don't.
If you can, find that information out ahead of time (and make sure your child has a copy of their insurance card), so you're not researching that in the middle of the night when you're worried over their health too or if there's a medical emergency.
You might even want to write it down that info on an index card and tape it to the inside of their first aid kit (maybe even with their health insurance info)!
What should a college first aid kit contain?
Here are items you'll want in your DIY First Aid Kit. The popular name brands are in parenthesis.
- Tackle Box – to hold all your supplies!
- Regular Prescription Medications – Have at 2 Weeks – 1 Month worth of any necessary medicines
- Thermometer
- Electrolyte Drinks (Pedialyte, Gatorade, Nuun tablet) – to rehydrate
- Sore Throat Relief Spray (Chloraseptic) – sore throat relief
- Cough Drops – cough/sore throat
- Sore throat suckers/pops – sore throat relief
- Cough Medicine (Delsym, Robitussin) – cough suppressant
- Dextromethorphan (Mucinex DM) – expectorant & cough suppressant
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol) –Â pain relief/reduce fever
- Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) – pain relief/reduce fever/reduce inflammation
- Antihistamine (Benadryl, Claritin, Allegra, Zyrtec) – allergic reactions
- Antacid (Tums) – upset stomach
- loperamide HCI (Immodium) – diarrhea
- Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto Bismol, Kaopectate) – Heartburn/Nausea/Upset Stomach
- Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine, anti nausea suckers) – Nausea
- Hydrocortisone Topical Ointment/Cream (Cortizone-10) – for itchy skin/rashes
- Oatmeal Bath Packets (Aveeno Soothing Bath) – Itchy skin/rashes
- Nausea wristband (Sea-Band wristband) – Nausea
- Hand Sanitizer
- Antibacterial soap
- Disinfectant Wipes
- Lysol Spray
- Thermometer
- Band Aids or Elastic Bandages
- Antibiotic Ointment
- Ice and Heating Pack
Do you need a first aid kit for college?
While it's not a requirement to have a college first aid kit, it's a pretty good idea to have these items on hand.
And The best part?
Even if they think us moms are a wee bit crazy that we make them head off with this crazy kind-of-over-packed College First Aid Kit of Supplies . . . the minute they get sick they'll be thankful their moms (and dads!) were thinking of them ahead of time.
In the long run, having the right things on hand can really save time and money, and your kids will know they're crazy loved during stressful times too.
What other ideas do you have to include in a college first aid kit (or any supply kit at home?)? Even if you don't have kids at college these are great things for all of us to have on hand at home ~ I'd love to hear what you'd add to the list. (I love hearing from you ~ leave a comment to share and let me know your thoughts too!)
You can download a list of ALL of the things we put into our first aid kit right over HERE!
I also sent my kids with the immune vitamin c /zinc effervescent tabs. They could knock out a pesky cold easier. I don’t think I saw Vicks vapor rub on the list-on the soles of feet for nighttime cough and opens up airways.
I generally fix a small kit for graduates with some snack $ to boot
Thanks for the tips! Those are great additions to the kit. 🙂
Just a few more ideas– I drove almost two hours to deliver a spare inhaler! My daughter’s ran out on a Friday night and the prescription had run out of refills! She hadn’t had to use it for over a year but all the walking, a bad cold, and bad weather did a number on her. The Dr’s office didn’t open until Monday.
Also pack canker sore medicine if your student is prone to them. My daughter gets them from lack of sleep, heavy class loads, a job and no time to get to the pharmacy.
Could I please have the printables for the first aid kit for the top of the box.
Thank you
Here you go Dana! 🙂 –> https://passionatepennypincher.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/First-Aid-Kit.pdf
Hi, I love this idea and had seen the post but using a small three drawer organizer. A list was also made for what went in each drawer. Can anyone help me find this post on this site? Thank you and have a blessed evening.
Did you work up a PDF of the lid label?
would love the labels the top as well
Love this list! It is has more than I’ve sent the last 2 years. I just use a gal. freezer ziptop bag for meds & a small red zipper cloth bandaid kit (various sizes, cleansers, gauze, ointment). Tackle box is nice, but space was a premium in dorm room. The ziptop is clear so you can see everything in it pretty quickly. Smaller bottles is the key. I keep all my small med bottles to clean & refill, using a sticky label to clearly mark name & amount of ingredient per pill, purpose, exp date, & dosage. Then I cover label with clear tape so it stays & doesn’t smear. Small bottles are so costly per pill! This is a saver because my family keeps rest of the larger bottle/box. My daughter (starting 3rd year) has been prepared every year for sickness & injuries. She has never had to run to a store when she first feels sick or needs bandage. She has also been first aid stop for her friends in dorm & on campus. She gives them enough to get through until they can get to store. No one should have to drive out somewhere when they’re sick. I can’t believe how many kids go without even 1 advil or a bandaid! For us, allergies can be problem so generic dayquil & nyquil type tablets are a must. I get Costco generic box pack & send her with several “sheets” of punch out pills of each type. Love that pepto type meds (generic Bismuth subsalicylate) come in chewable & tablets too. I try not to send much in liquid form.
Love that Susan ~ thanks so much for all your tips! 🙂
Would love a pdf of the label that is on top of the first aid kit. Thank you – great ideas!
Hi Heidi – we’re working on that and will post when we have it updated! 🙂
Do you have a pdf of the label on the outside that you used?
We have a kit like this for our RV and also made one for our friends to keep on their boat. Great to have available!
Great ideas Cheryl! 🙂 Love that!
You could put a label inside the top with important telephone numbers:
-insurance Nurse Line
-emergency sick number for the college
-Poison Control (I don’t know why but I just think
everyone needs that number)
-Dorm RA emergency number
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(Canadian College gal here)
Angie that’s a genius idea! I know MY brain doesn’t even think of looking up phone numbers when dealing with emergencies, so I cannot expect others to know/remember who/where to contact for help.
Hopefully this idea helps other: I’m going to add my emergency contact information to this list. If something happened to me I need my mom to know ASAP (plus if whoever is calling her is in shock she could advise them or whatever.)
FYI: My mom wasn’t contacted at all when I was rushed to the hospital and spent over 14 hours in the ER earlier this year. I thought the hospital did call her and was so hurt, thinking my mom decided that I didn’t need her. I wasn’t able to call her until hours after I was released. IF my 1st aide kit was set up properly my friend would have informed my mom and long story short I would have avoided those negative thoughts, emotions of feeling abandoned on top of the scary medical situation overall experience.
Great idea Kay!
I love this First Aid kit!!!! It would be great to have labels!!
Can this list be made printable? Especially the list of items that goes in the lid!
Ty
Great idea Natalie – I’ll look into that! 🙂
Vicks vaporub, cotton balls.
Lotrimine or antifungal cream. This is good for yeast infections (think red, itchy sweat areas, fat rolls, babies neck). Surgeon gave to me to clear up yeast infection before surgery. Worked quickly. Have used on grandson when he gets a diaper rash that diaper creme won’t get rid of. Hard to tell the two apart sometimes.
And as an alternative or addition to tums use equate acid reducer (has a different ingredient than tums). I have no gall bladder and so have issues with acid buildup from time to time. I find this version works better than tums, and quickly, especially at night when I have acid reflux, to stop the acid and allow me to go back to sleep within 30 minutes.
Oh, and to add to the previous comment about midol. Equate migraine headache has the same ingredients as midol. Same product. Different name/uses. Why pay more for it?
So good to know Leta ~ thanks so much for the helpful tips! 🙂
Thanks so much for the suggestions Leta! 🙂
This is a great idea for traveling too!
Yes, it really would be D’Ann! 🙂
I was going to say all kinds of bandages, even the ace bandages. Plus some gauze pads and tape. Also if they have allergies some Nose Spray they can use daily is a big help esp if they have sinus troubles.
Feminine hygiene items enough for two to three months worth until they learn where the closest drug stores are to get the items they need. Also Midol. Excedrine is also great idea and I know this isn’t first aid but maybe eye glass cleaner for that student who may have glasses .
The throw-up blue bags the hospital have are very handy I keep them in my car also.
Maybe add some saline spray and seven some visine.
Great ideas Evelyn! 🙂
I would add in gauze 4 x 4s and 2 x 2s, rolled gauze, both 2″ and 4″ ace bandages, paper tape, scissors, a few wooden tongue depressors(to be used as temporary immobilizer) or finger cots, nitrile gloves, spare face masks.
Things are crazy already, add in being away from home base, then getting sick or a minor injury, the clinic may or may not be open conveniently. These little extras may make the difference in kiddies and mom and dad getting through with a bit less stress.
Great suggestions, this is even great for everyone to have. I know when I’m not home my husband doesn’t know where some of these items are kept. So having everything in one spot helps. I would include the emergency contact numbers on the list as well. If you type in Google or Amazon ” Family First Aid Storage” you get several boxes to choose, various sizes, and styles. Be sure and have a clear marked “First Aid” so anyone can see what it’s contained inside.
Last thought is someone asked for a printed list, but I just copied it and printed it out.
Hope this helps. Thanks