Health Resources

Poison Ivy, Oak or Sumac

Main Symptoms

• Localized redness, swelling, and weeping blisters
• Located on exposed body surfaces (such as the hands) or areas touched by the hands (e.g. the face or genitals) May be carried by pets.
• Extreme itchiness
• Onset 1 or 2 days after the patient was in a forest or field
• Shaped like streaks or lines
• Caused by oil from poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac plants

See More Appropriate Topic

• If it doesn’t look like poison ivy, see RASHES LOCALIZED AND CAUSE UNKNOWN 

Call Your Doctor Now (night or day) If

• Your child looks or acts very sick
• Difficulty breathing or severe coughing following exposure to burning weeds.
• Looks infected (e.g., soft yellow scabs, pus or spreading redness)

Call Your Doctor Within 24 Hours (between 9 and 4) If

• You think your child needs to be seen
• Swelling is severe (e.g. the eyes are swollen shut).
• Severe poison ivy reaction in the past
• Rash involves more than one fourth of the body
• Face, eyes, lips or genitals are involved
• Severe itching (e.g. can't sleep)
• Big blisters or oozing sores

Call Your Doctor During Weekday Office Hours If

• You have other questions or concerns

Parent Care at Home

• Mild poison ivy or sumac and you don’t think your child needs to be seen

Home Care Advice for Mild Poison Ivy

1. Steroid Cream: Apply 1% hydrocortisone cream 4 times per day to reduce itching. Keep the cream in the refrigerator (Reason: it feels better if applied cold)
2. Local Cold: Soak the involved area in cool water for 20 minutes or massage it with an ice cube as often as necessary to reduce itching and oozing.
3. Antihistamines: If itching persists, give Benadryl orally every 6 hours as needed. (See Dosage table)
4. Avoid Scratching: Cut the fingernails short and discourage scratching to prevent a secondary infection from bacteria.
5. More Poison Ivy: If new blisters occur several days after the first ones, your child probably has ongoing contact with poison ivy oil. To prevent recurrences; bathe all dogs and wash all clothes and shoes that were with your child on the day of exposure.
6. Contagiousness: Poison ivy or oak is not contagious to others.
7. Expected Course: Usually lasts 2 weeks. Treatment reduces the severity, not the length.
8. Call Your Doctor If
   • Poison ivy lasts > 3 weeks
   • It looks infected
   • Your child becomes worse or develops any of the “Call Your Doctor” symptoms

| User's Guide | Parent Response Levels | Search | About | Exit