Contact with poison ivy leads to itchy, fluid filled pimples on the skin. This blistering red rash is very unpleasant for kids. One of the key things to teach your children is how to identify what poison ivy looks like and to obey signs that warn of poison ivy in order to minimize their risk of contact.
If your child does come into contact with poison ivy, here are 5 natural solutions to help ease their discomfort:
1. Apply pure aloe vera gel to the skin 3 times per day. This will have a cooling, soothing effect on the irritated skin.
2. Alternate aloe vera gel with calendula cream. Calendula is anti-inflammatory which will help relieve redness and swelling. Calendula is also anti-microbial and will help to prevent the spread of infection due to scratching and open blisters.
3. Boil chamomile tea, allow it to cool and add it to your child’s bath water. Chamomile is soothing and when absorbed through the skin has calming effects which are helpful for irritable children.
4. Slice up some cucumber and store in the freezer for 10 minutes. Apply cool cucumber slices to hot skin for a soothing effect.
5. Use the homeopathic remedy Rhus toxicodendron 30 CH. Let 3 pellets dissolve under the tongue up to 5 times per day to relieve poison ivy symptoms. Homeopathic Rhus tox is made from diluted poison ivy and utilizes the principle of ‘like cures like.’ Essentially you are giving the body a small, diluted amount of a substance to stimulate a healing response to the effects of the same substance at a higher toxic amount. Homeopathic remedies are easily found at your local drug or health store.
If your child has poison ivy on their face or if they are having signs of an allergic reaction such as breathing difficulties and extreme swelling call your primary health care provider immediately.
I’ve never had to deal with Poison Ivy, but this was very good information to have read. Great to know that there are some natural remedies out there for relief!
i had no idea there were so many natural remedies to be found
Loving your article as always Ellen! Great natural solutions- but I can only hope Ill never get poison ivy again! 🙂
wow i will def be printing this page off , what great tips and tricks , thanks for sharing 🙂
I am so glad we have never had to deal with poison ivy, now stinging nettle I have. I bet these would work with that as well.
Fortunately I’ve never come into contact with Poison Ivy, nor has any family member. I’ve heard how nasty it is for those who have so it’s good to have this list of natural remedies, thanks for sharing them with us 🙂
Thanks for sharing all the great tips and tricks
We just went camping and they had poison ivy warning everywhere in the campground. Im so paranoid of touching it.
I wasn’t aware of so many different remedies for this! Great post!!
Thanks for sharing these awesome tips! Poison ivy is very unpleasant.
I’ve never had Poison Ivy,and hope i never do