DETROIT – If you have a child heading off to college you’ve likely helped them, find various sundry dorm items. But one thing that many parents forget to include is commonly used over-the-counter medications. Personally, I think this is a big oversight. If your child gets sick, there’s a good chance they may not really know what to take since up until this point in their lives you’ve been the one giving it to them. Dr. Carrie Leff is a Henry Ford Health physician. Her daughter is heading off to the University of Michigan in a couple of weeks and she wanted her to be prepared, so she created a college dorm medicine box. She shared its contents on TikTok.
Here’s what she put in the box.
For skin issues, she included things to manage injuries and infections. Hydrogen peroxide, an antibiotic ointment, and band-aids made that list. She also put a tube of 1% hydrocortisone cream for skin rashes and insect bites.
For upper respiratory infection, she included cough syrup, diphenhydramine, loratadine, a combination cold and flu medicine, throat lozenges and Afrin for congestion. There are a couple of important things to know about these medications. The antihistamine diphenhydramine, or Benadryl, can make you tired and Afrin should only be used for 2-3 days.
To help her daughter manage gastrointestinal conditions she included Pepto Bismol and Tums.
Pain control medicines she put in the kit include both acetaminophen and ibuprofen. She also included a thermometer to identify a fever.
Doctor Leff also included a few things that are of a more personal nature, including an antifungal cream for a yeast infection and Plan B for use immediately after unprotected sex. The opiate overdose antidote Narcan is also part of the kit headed to college.
To help her daughter figure out what to use in the medicine kit, she also made a helpful instruction guide. She shared that guide with our viewers, and it can be read and downloaded below.