Why Poison Ivy Why???

I brought a stack of wood in the house this past December. A few days later, I was covered with poison ivy. The oil must have been in the bark of the wood. I had to go to the doctor. My neck and chest were covered....

It seems like all I have to do is LOOK at poison ivy and I get a rash!

I feel for your poor son. Even if you teach him to avoid it, sometimes the oils are where you least expect it... like on pets, or on your clothes. Last year I was moving hostas and accidentally grabbed a bunch that had poison ivy growing in the middle. I had to be on steroids to get rid of it because I'm highly allergic.

I'm sure the doctor will give your poor son something for the pain. Hugs to you momma.

poor baby. my husband is super-susceptible to it too, and it's hard for him to avoid it on our little farm which requires some hacking and trimming and tromping through undergrowth.
it sounds as if you've done all you can do until you get him into the doctor. cool damp cloths on his eyes to help comfort him if necessary.
i'd let go of school tomorrow. it doesn't sound as if that's a realistic possibility.
hope the doctor can get him some quick relief.
khairete
S.

It sounds like he has a pretty severe allergy to poison ivy.

Give him some Benadryl and Tylenol. This should give him some relief until you get to the doctor. I'd also suggest giving him Benadryl and Tylenol until it's cleared up...even if you have to go to the nurse's office and give them a supply for him so he can get through his exams.

Perhaps next time you're weeding, you could make sure he's wearing eye protection as well as gloves. Hopefully that will prevent it.

When I was a child I got poison ivy in my eyes too. It hurts! Honestly the only thing that can help is the doctor. I remember I had to get a shot. I hope your son gets some relief!

Just curious... where is he getting into the poison ivy? Is it in your yard? A local park? If it is anything like central Texas, it is in a LOT of the parks!

Teach him what it looks like...... he knows how miserable he gets, he can start watching for it when he is playing outside.

One thing people often don't realize is that our pets can bring in the oils, also.... the pet runs through the thickets where the poison ivy is, and the oils are on their fur... so when we pet the animal, the oils transfer onto us, and then wherever our hands touch... this time, his face.....

I've heard some people have great luck with Zanfel, but it is expensive! ($40 a bottle, maybe? ) But... apparently a little goes a LONG way with this stuff. I'm not allergic to PI (yet, anyway), so I've never had to experience it.

Don't fool around with the eyes - see the doctor and follow that advice re school.

Obviously he got it on his hands and then rubbed his eyes. Or, he got it on his gloves and touched his face or his arm, then touched that spot, and so on and so on. The other way that can happen, I've heard, is when someone is burning brush, including poison ivy, and people get in the smoke. But it sounds like that's not what happened here.

Remember that the oils are active all winter too, even when the plants are dormant.

There is a product called Tecnu that you can use to wash with after being in the yard or anyplace else with possible exposure. It removes the oils from the arms, hands, face, etc. You have to be pretty vigilant and obviously it can't go in the eyes, but it does a good job of getting the oils off. A lot of gardeners and landscapers use it, and you can get it in any pharmacy. After using it, he needs to shower with soap, but it's a good preventive measure.

I doubt he'll be able to go to school. And if he does he will do poorly on his tests. They can give him a makeup. It's not like these are the SAT's or AP's and even those have makeups. Allow him time to recoup.

Our Dr gives my husband steriods. He has been hospitalized when he was younger and my MIL used to bring him in for shots every year.

I hope you get him in soon, we have gone to Urgent Care, got a steriod shot, then to the Dr's appt for the prescriptions.

Once you've messed with poison ivy (weeding or anything), wash up with Fels Napatha laundry soap (it's like other bar soaps and can be found in most stores laundry areas). Bathe in it - my kids had Fels baths many a time - youngest is very allergic! If it is on clothes - wash those and anything else with the Fels (toss bar in washer for a few minutes - stop washer - take out bar soap - let washer complete load)

(obviously you can't use the soap around the eyes - but it will greatly reduce outbreaks)

You have to buy the killer specifically labeled for poison ivy. That stuff works great. The only other suggestion I have is to make sure he knows how to identify it. If he knows what he is looking to avoid, it might help. Sure, sometimes that doesn't keep him from getting it, but he can learn to steer clear where it has been spotted.
Fortunately, I am not allergic to poison ivy. My husband is terribly allergic. The doctor told him that each time he gets it, he will get MORE allergic to it. Man, I hate that stuff!!!