Poison Ivy - Ravenna, OH

Your poor little punkin! I just had poison ivy for the first time in my life. I bought benadryl spray to relieve the itching, and it was a lifesaver. It stopped the itching immediately (so I wouldn't scratch & spread it), and it lasted all day. I just applied it after bathing. It's clear so I didn't have pink patches of Calamine all over my legs. :)

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Try making a paste with baking soda and water, apply it to the itchy areas, it will flake off and get powder all over the place but REALLY helps with the itching. I am extremely sensitive to poison ivy, and this is the only thing that even helps a little for me!

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The Benadryl should help with the itching. Calomine lotion is suppose to help. I think and oatmeal bath may work too. Unforutnately whatever you use will only be temporary until the rash is gone. :(

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Just in case your ped didn't tell you, poison ivy infection comes from the oil on the leaves of the poison ivy plant- that oil can be on shoes, clothes, pets, whatever touched the plant. This oil can re-infect if not washed off- it can last years. So, if your child walked through it, make sure you wash shoes and shoes strings with some good grease cutting soap, like dish soap. And wash anything else that might have come in contact. My doctor rec I wash myself with warm water and dish soap in case I hadn't gotten all the oil off.

Rubbing alcohol.....it helps dry it, cools it AND helps the itch temporarily.

Also......there is an herb called QUERCITIN. I took it when I had a HORRIBLE case of poison ivy several years ago. It's for allergies and asthma. WITHOUT ?, when I took this.......I didn't itch! Therefore, it didn't spread. It was AWESOME. If it said take every 4 hours, I knew EXACTLY when it began to wear off because at about 4 hours, I'd start to itch a bit.

I WOULD HOWEVER, MAKE SURE AND CHECK AND SEE IF KIDS SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE IT. Call a local health food store and talk to someone there.

Make a solution of water and baking soda and dab on the effected areas to remove the itch. It will be white on her skin an look funny but it works. Actually I prefer Ivy Dry but you are looking for none medicinal.

When I get poison ivy I take poison ivy pills. Its a homeopathic remedy. I buy it at walmart. I don't usually get into the homeopathic stuff, but I tried this once, and it worked. You take 3 or 4 pills every two hours and then when it starts to get better you take less pills less frequently. They are sugar pills that dissolve on your tongue so a child could easily take them. 2 summers ago I started taking 1 pill a week and I haven't gotten poison ivy again since. My sister takes it now also, she got it really bad and hasn't had it since also. It may be something you want to look into.

I have a son that is now 13 and is highly alergic to poison ivy. He requires the same Rx if I don't catch it pretty much as soon as he gets it. But what I do is apply the pink Calymine Lotion and cover where ever possible. There are sometimes he resembles a mummy but this way he can not scratch and spread it.

Dear S.,
I went the chiropractor and he suggested Antronex by Standard Processes for poison ivy. It is a supplement that is like taking food, not a perscription. It clears out the liver and the rash will disappear. L. J

Hi S. wow that has to be miserable. I would suggest Aloe Vera with Lidacaine. It is green in color and you can get it at most drug stores. I have used it for shingles and was amazed at how well it helped the severe pain. I don't think it would hurt for a three year old to use it but check with your drugist to be sure. good luck.

We just got finished with both of kids going through all this. We did daily baths to help dry out the reaction and hydrocortizone. It takes about a week for the full reaction to be out and showing its ugly head, but it gets better every day. Just remember the key is to dry out the reaction - But, sounds like the doc has given you everything to help eleviate the annoyance of it. good luck.

Burts Bee's Poison Ivy soap is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! get some and use it often until she's better! baking soda paste is also great-- just mix it with water and rub it on.