6/28/00
Now that school is over and summer has arrived, outdoor activities become more central to our daily lives. Gardening, taking walks, fishing, hiking, picnicking, camping, and just playing outdoors are common summer past-times which are enjoyable, but also increase the risk of exposure to “unfriendly” plants. The most common of these plants are poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.
Although the plants are not really poisonous, they all contain a sap, urushiol, which often causes an allergic reaction. The reaction ranges from mild to severe, occurring when a person sensitive to the sap comes in contact with the leaves of the plant. The sap is also released whenever the leaves, stalks, or roots of these “poison” plants are crushed, so contact with contaminated tools, gloves, clothing, or pets can cause an allergic reaction. Health problems also arise when poison ivy, oak or sumac is burned and smoke containing sap-coated soot is inhaled.
The best way to prevent an allergic reaction to these plants is to know what they look like and avoid them. The old saying, “leaves of three—let them be” can be helpful in teaching children to identify poison ivy and poison oak. Both of these plants have three leaflets per stem. Unfortunately, the saying does not apply to poison sumac, which consists of a row of six to ten leaflets. One leaflet is at the end of the stem, and the others are arranged in two rows opposite to each other. The leaves may be reddish to dark green in color. The plants can grow as small bushes or as a vine, climbing over rocks, and fences and even up the sides of buildings and trees.
After coming in contact with poison ivy, oak, or sumac, an allergic person can develop a rash anytime from a few hours later to two weeks after exposure. The skin may begin burning and itching, then swelling and/or a rash will appear. The rash causes redness and blisters which break open and release a watery liquid. After about five days, the rash reaches its peak; the total healing time is one to two weeks.
While most cases of poison ivy do not require a doctor’s attention some complications warrant immediate medical care. These symptoms include:
· the eyes swell shut
· the rash becomes extremely severe and painful
· the blisters continue to ooze longer than two weeks
· a fever develops
· lymph nodes in the neck, groin, or under the arms become swollen and sore
· swelling in the tongue, throat or lips
· difficulty breathing or swallowing.
If medication is prescribed for treatment of the reaction and certain side effects occur, it is wise to consult a physician. Insomnia, nervousness, irritability, upset stomach, or weight gain are some of the symptoms.
To care for poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac at home,
1. Remove all clothes that have touched the plant. Clothing should be washed; shoes or clothing that can’t be washed should be kept isolated in a well-ventilated area for three weeks.
2. Wash with soap and lots of warm water. Soaking in a warm bath with Aveeno or baking soda helps with healing.
3. Apply rubbing alcohol with cotton balls to the affected parts of the skin. Cotton cloths soaked in cool water or a colloidal ointment like Aveeno bar can also help relieve itching.
4. Rinse with water.
5. Apply calamine lotion, zinc oxide ointment, or a paste of three parts baking soda to one part water to the rash.
6. Take an over-the-counter antihistamine.
7. Bathe pets that have come in contact with the plant.
8. Keep your hands away from your mouth, eyes, and face; do not scratch or rub the rash.
Poisoning by these toxic plants can be prevented by learning to recognize them, wearing protective clothing; and destroying and removing them. Wear protective gloves, long sleeves, and long pants tucked into socks when in wooded areas. Don’t let pets run loose in the woods where they can rub against the plants and pass the sap along to people and other animals. Be careful not to touch dead branches of poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac, since the chemical irritant they contain last up to several years. And finally, do not burn these plants, as the inhaled sap can infect your lungs and those of anyone around the burning plants.
For further information about toxic plants, contact the Central CT Health District at 721-2822.