Children have a bad habit of not wanting to share the toys that they are playing with. But they have no problem sharing any infection or disease they are carrying. Because of this parents are urged to keep their kids at home when they are sick so as to prevent mass breakouts in a school or daycare.
When a parent is treating their child for the poison ivy rash they often pose the question, “Is poison ivy contagious?” This is a popular question and many of us would think that it is. When we see the inflamed rash and blisters on our child’s skin we can’t help but be afraid that our other children might get it when they touch it. We are here to tell you that this cannot happen.
The rash itself often gives us the illusion that it is spreading to other areas of the body. This could be occurring for several reasons. It is possible that your child came into contact with it several times and in different areas. It could also mean that the urushiol oil – the toxic substance that causes the infection – is still on their hands, under their fingernails, or on their clothes.
The same is true for the poison ivy blisters that some people have. Although they might look painful and will ooze a colorful substance this does not contain any form of bacteria or chemicals. You don’t want to touch it – but even if you did it would have no effect on you at all.
In order to prevent your other children from being exposed to the oil and your infected child from being re-exposed you need to wash the cloths that they were wearing. You also need to give them a nice warm bath that will not just help to soothe the rash – but also to remove any traces of the toxic substance. Without washing the oil can stay on the clothes for years. Remember that just a tiny amount of it is able to induce poison ivy symptoms.