$Unique_ID{PAR00134}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Medical Advice:  Poison Ivy}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{
Editors of Consumer Guide
Chasnoff, Ira J}
$Subject{Poison Ivy Blistered rash Itch Itching skin irritant irritants
calamine lotion antihistamine antihistamines impetigo woods poison oak poison
sumac smoke burning plant swelling reddening blister blisters steroid
medication medications Desensitization shot shots}
$Log{
Poison Ivy*0013401.tif}

Your Child:  A Medical Guide


Poison Ivy


     Quick Reference

     SYMPTOMS
     - Blistered rash
     - Itching

     HOME CARE
     - To remove the irritant from the skin, bathe the child immediately with
       soap and water and scrub the fingernails.
     - Contaminated clothing should be laundered.
     - Applying calamine lotion to the rash and giving nonprescription
       antihistamines by mouth may help relieve itching.

     PRECAUTIONS
     - If the child scratches the rash, the skin may become susceptible to
       impetigo.  Watch for signs of infection.
     - Teach your child to recognize and avoid poison ivy.
     - Dress your child in long pants and socks when he or she is in the woods
       or other areas where poison ivy grows.
     - If the rash continues to spread after several days, it means that the
       child is still coming in contact with the plant.  Try to locate the
       source of the contact.


     Rashes among children in the two- to 12-year-old age group are generally
due to contact with irritants, one of the most common of which is poison ivy.
Contact with certain other plants, such as poison oak and poison sumac, can
also cause a rash.
     Poison ivy rash develops in sensitive children after direct contact with
any part of the vine.  It can also occur after the child has been exposed to
smoke from the burning plant or to pets that have rolled in the plant.  Poison
ivy rash can be spread to any part of the body by the hands, the fingernails,
and contaminated clothing.  Poison ivy is often carried to a boy's penis by
his hands.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

     Itching develops within two to 24 hours after contact with poison ivy.
It is followed by swelling and reddening of the skin.  Pin-sized, clear
blisters develop and may merge to create blisters as large as one-half inch
across.  The rash often appears in straight lines where the plant has brushed
against the skin or where the child has scratched.  The rash may also be
distributed generally over the skin and look like rashes caused by other
agents.

HOME CARE

     Bathe the child promptly with soap and water, and cut and scrub the
child's fingernails; this will remove much of the irritating substance from
the skin and hands.  To relieve itching, apply calamine lotion to the rash or
give the child nonprescription antihistamines.  Launder contaminated clothing
to remove the irritant.

PRECAUTIONS

  -  Scratching can make the skin susceptible to impetigo.  Watch for signs of
     infection.
  -  If poison ivy continues to spread after four to seven days, your child is
     still coming in contact with the plant, directly or indirectly.  Try to
     find the source.
  -  Teach your child to recognize and avoid poison ivy.
  -  Make sure your child is dressed appropriately (in long pants and socks)
     when in the woods or around campsites.

MEDICAL TREATMENT

     Your doctor will confirm the diagnosis, treat any secondary infection,
and perhaps prescribe a steroid medication if the rash is severe.
Desensitization shots are not very effective; preparations taken by mouth are
even less helpful.

RELATED TOPICS:  Impetigo; Rashes