Clinical Reference Systems: Pediatric Advisor 10.0
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Description

• You have extremely itchy streaks or patches of redness and blisters on exposed body surfaces (such as your hands).
• The rash appears 1 or 2 days after you were in a forest or field.

Cause

Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac cause the same type of rash and are found throughout North America. More than 50 percent of people are sensitive to the oil of these plants.

Expected Course

The rash usually lasts 2 weeks. Treatment reduces the symptoms but does not cure the rash. The best approach is prevention.

Home Treatment

1. Cool soaks

   Soak the area with the rash in cold water or massage it with an ice cube for 20 minutes as often as necessary. Let it air dry after the soaking or massage. This will reduce itching and oozing.

2. Steroid creams

   If applied early, a steroid cream can reduce the itching. Ask your pharmacist to recommend an over-the-counter 1% hydrocortisone cream.

   The sores should be dried up and no longer itchy in 10 to 14 days. In the meantime, cut your fingernails short and try not to scratch the rash.

3. Benadryl

   If itching persists, take Benadryl orally (no prescription needed) every 6 hours as needed.

4. Contagiousness

   The fluid from the sores themselves is not contagious. However, oil or sap from the poisonous plant may remain on your pet's fur or on items such as your clothes or shoes. This oil or sap remains as an irritant for about a week. Be sure to wash it off clothes or pets with soap and water.

5. Prevention
   • Learn to recognize these plants. Poison ivy grows in all regions of North America. Poison oak grows in western North America and the southeastern region of the U.S. To be safe, avoid all plants with three large green leaves on each stem. Another clue is shiny black spots on damaged leaves. (The plant sap turns black when exposed to air.)

     Poison sumac has 7 to 13 leaves per stem, grows in swamps in the southeast U.S., and is harder to recognize.

   • If you have had contact with one of these plants, wash the exposed areas of skin with any available soap several times. Do this as soon as possible because after 1 hour it is too late to prevent absorption of much of the oil into the skin.
   • Everyone should wear long pants or socks when walking through woods that may contain poison ivy, oak, or sumac.

CALL YOUR PHYSICIAN DURING OFFICE HOURS IF:

• The itching becomes severe, even with treatment.
• The skin looks infected (you see pus or soft yellow scabs).
• The rash lasts longer than 2 weeks.
• You have other concerns or questions.