Poison ivy

Poison ivy is a plant that grows at sea level and can be found in every province in Canada, except Newfoundland. It can cause a rash when it makes contact with the skin (contact dermatitis). The rash occurs when the skin reacts to substances in the oily sap (called urushiol) in the plant's roots, stems and leaves.

What does the poison ivy plant look like?

Poison ivy usually grows up large tree trunks as a shrub or as a vine.

• Each leaf has three leaflets that can be either shiny, smooth and hairless, or rough, hairy and velvety.
• The leaves are reddish in the spring, green in the summer and yellow, orange or red in the fall.
• The plant may have yellow-green flowers, or green or off-white berries.

Poison ivy

Signs and symptoms of a poison ivy rash

The symptoms of a poison ivy rash may include:

• redness
• extreme itching
• hives
• swelling
• small or large blisters, often forming a line or streak
• crusting skin

The typical rash can last from one to three weeks.

The rash usually occurs on skin surfaces that are exposed directly to poison ivy. People can also be exposed to poison ivy's oily sap through indirect contact, including:

• scratching or rubbing, which moves the sap to other skin areas
• contact with clothing, a pet, tools, sports equipment or other things that may have come into contact with the plant.

If poison ivy is burned, the sap can cling to smoke particles and become airborne. This can cause reactions involving the skin, the eyes or the lungs.

How to treat a poison ivy rash

Mild rash

• Place cool cloths on your child's skin.
• Have your child take cool showers or lukewarm baths.
• Give your child an antihistamine.

Try not to let your child scratch. This can cause infection and scarring and may spread the sap to other parts of the body. If the rash is very severe, your child may need to take steroid medication by mouth.

Reactions may vary from person to person. Some people may not react to poison ivy at all, while others may have a very severe reaction.

Signs of a serious reaction to poison ivy

Your child has a serious reaction if:

• nothing helps to ease the itch
• the skin around the rash seems to be infected
• they develop a fever
• the rash appears on their eyelids, lips, face or genitals
• their face swells

How to prevent a poison ivy rash

The best way to prevent a rash is to avoid contact with the plant by learning to recognize it. A helpful rule for avoiding poison ivy is "leaves of three, leave them be".

What to do if your child cannot avoid an area where poison ivy may be present

• Apply a product to their skin that helps prevent the skin from absorbing the plant's sap. These products are available over the counter and usually contain bentoquatam.
• Have your child wear clothing such as pants, long sleeves, boots and gloves when they are around poison ivy. Depending on your child's age, help them or remind them to remove exposed clothing carefully.

Poison ivy sap can remain active for a long time. For this reason, use hot, soapy water to wash your child's clothing, shoes and anything else that may have made contact with the plant.

If your child touches poison ivy, it is possible to prevent a rash by:

• washing their skin well with warm water and soap
• washing everything that may have sap on it.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if your child:

• develops a skin infection (increasing redness, swelling, pain or a milky discharge from the irritated areas)
• is not responding to any of the treatments for a mild rash.

Take your child to your nearest hospital emergency department right away if they are having trouble breathing or swallowing.