Instructions

• Instructions for new users

Call Your Doctor Now 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 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 Hours If:

• You have other questions or concerns

Home Care (Read "Call Your Doctor…" first):

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).

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.

Antihistamines

If itching persists, give Benadryl orally every 6 hours as needed.

Avoid Scratching

Cut the fingernails short and discourage scratching to prevent a secondary infection from bacteria.

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.

Contagiousness

Poison ivy or oak is not contagious to others.

Expected Course

Usually lasts 2 weeks. Treatment reduces the severity, not the length.

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