A walk out in nature can be very rewarding and relaxing. However, there are a few plants out there that can be responsible for triggering bad skin rashes. We are talking about the poison ivy, oak, and sumac. When the leaves of these plants come in contact with the skin, unpleasant rashes can appear. They manifest through redness, small bumps on the surface of the skin, inflammation, and itchiness. There are also more severe cases, in which the rash spreads fast and ends up covering a large surface of the skin, even featuring blisters. Children are most exposed to this kind of rashes, as they love playing in the outdoors and will check out plants that are in their proximity. To enjoy peace of mind each time you take your children outdoors, here is what you need to know about offering First Aid Training Winnipeg in the event of a skin rash.
In order for a skin rash to occur, the skin needs to come in contact with the plant several times, although one single encounter may also lead to a rash. The reason these rashes appear is that the body will start producing antibodies as soon as it feels the resin of the previously mentioned plants on the surface of the skin. It is worth mentioning that in spite of the fact that the plant’s resin will cause immediate reactions on the body, the real rash takes up to two days to emerge. Thus, you need to pay attention to how the rash is evolving after the encounter with the plant. Blisters usually form as a second phase of the rash, followed by yellowish crusts on the surface of the skin. The itching will last for a while, but it will go away in maximum two weeks. Also, bear in mind that the plant needs to directly touch the skin in order to trigger a rash. This will not happen by simply sitting next to an ivy, oak, or sumac.
You can treat the rash at home, with simple remedies in its incipient phases. Thus, use cold compresses and lotions with calamine to calm down the inflammation and itchiness. But, if the itchiness and inflammation are severe and disturb the ability to sleep at night, antihistamines are recommended. In case the rash doesn’t improve with homemade remedies or over-the-counter treatments, it is worth paying the doctor or pediatrician, according to the case, a visit. Medical attention is highly recommended if large blisters appear, in case the rash is located near the eyes, if babies get the rash, or if there are no signs of improvements within a week from the incident that started the skin rash.
Ideally, you should learn to identify the poison ivy, oak, and sumac so that you will know to keep your children from touching the leaves of these plants. Concerning the areas where these plants can be found, the poison ivy grows east of the Rocky Mountains, the poison oak can be found in the states located in the western side, and the sumac can be met in the south-east, particularly in damp regions.
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