Jan. 29, 2002 -- A jumble of lotions, ointments, and half-empty pill bottles -- that's what you'll find in the typical family medicine cabinet. But if you have newborns and toddlers, it's time to take inventory.

"You don't need a lot of medicines, mainly because most illnesses resolve on their own," says Norman "Chip" Harbaugh, MD, a private-practice pediatrician in Atlanta and member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Practice and Ambulatory Medicine.

But if you have children 5 or younger at home, here is what you do need:

1. Phone numbers of your local poison control center, pediatrician, hospital emergency room, or pediatric emergency room nearest you.

2. Syrup of ipecac, which induces vomiting in case of poisoning.

*Note: Before using ipecac, call your doctor or poison-control expert first. "Vomiting can make a situation worse," Harbaugh tells WebMD. This is especially important if a child has consumed certain poisons like gasoline.

Some specialists have suggested that activated charcoal be used instead of ipecac, but that debate has not yet been settled, Harbaugh tells WebMD. He prefers parents stick to ipecac. The Poison Center of Illinois, however, recommends you keep activated charcoal on hand, too. Keep both ready so you will have them and can follow what you are directed to do, should you find yourself in this situation.

3. Pain reliever -- liquid for young children, tablets for older kids.

*Reminder: Let a fever run its course.

4. A zinc oxide-based product for diaper rash. Also, have a general skin moisturizer ready.

5. Electrolyte solution like Pedialyte to restore fluids if your child has diarrhea or has been vomiting.

6. Antihistamines like Benadryl for allergic reactions.

*Reminder: "Don't use antihistamines or decongestants for colds," says Harbaugh. "They will clear themselves on their own."

7. Suction bulb, to suction a baby's nose.

8. Cool mist humidifier to break up congestion.

9. Rectal thermometer for infants, oral for children.

10. Bandages and antibiotic cream for those inevitable scrapes, falls, and cuts.

And Practice Some Prevention, Too

Check cabinets under the bathroom sink and every other sink in the house. Be sure cleaners and poisons are out of your child's reach. "That's an area people forget about," says Harbaugh. "Besides, those childproof locks don't always work."

Pretty-tinted solutions like window cleaners "look especially tasty" to toddlers, he adds.

His advice: Stash any harmful stuff in the laundry closet or on a kitchen top shelf.