My 6 year old DS has poison ivy on his face, last night he cried and cried that his Privates itched. I assumed that he may have transferred the poison from his face to his privates but I don't see a rash. I gave him Benadryl last night for the itching and that worked on his face but not his privates. I got to noticing that he has been going to the bathroom every 30 minutes.

Could this be a bladder infection? I know it wouldn't itch but would he be able to tell the difference between that pain and an itch? Also he seems okay about it today, still going to the bathroom a lot. I made a doctor's appointment for him tommorrow but I was wondering if it is a bladder infection is there anything I can give him to help him sleep at night...one more night of this and I may go insane, he didn't go to sleep until 4:30 last night...AAAGGHHH!

By Karen~moderator on Wednesday, July 7, 2004 - 12:34 pm:

I'd definitely take him in. My oldest DS was severely allergic to poison ivy. When he was about 10, he was playing in the fields with his friends and got into some poison ivy, and as little boys do, he peed out there. When he peed, he apparently spread it from his hands to his penis. He was one miserable kid. Could be he has poison ivy there.

Is there any way you can get him an appointment today?

By Coopaveryben on Wednesday, July 7, 2004 - 01:58 pm:

I guess I could take him to a walk-in clinic...I think I will after DH gets home.

By Ginny~moderator on Wednesday, July 7, 2004 - 04:49 pm:

I think the walk-in clinic is a good idea. If it is driving you crazy, you can imagine how he feels. Poor little guy.

Even having had a bunch of urinary tract infections over the past three years, and knowing that sometimes the itching and burning had me in tears, I can't imagine how this poor kid feels.

By Karen~moderator on Thursday, July 8, 2004 - 10:52 am:

What did you find out??

By Coopaveryben on Thursday, July 8, 2004 - 01:46 pm:

It was Poison Ivy and we have a cream that is supposed to dry it up and stop the itch. I was also told to bath him in Dawn dish soap, since poison is oil based it cuts the oil and keeps it from spreading. He slept last night, so that was good!

Thanks!

By Rayanne on Thursday, July 8, 2004 - 01:58 pm:

I hope he feels better soon.

By Karen~moderator on Thursday, July 8, 2004 - 05:28 pm:

Chrissy, do you mean that it was poison ivy on his penis too??

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, July 9, 2004 - 09:12 am:

Chrissy, I want to thank you for posting on this. I was doing a lot of yard work last weekend (Sat-Mon) and noticed around Wednesday that I had small patches of bumpy blisters - used a cortisone ointment but it didn't help a lot. After reading your post, last night I washed my arms and face (the affected areas) with a Dawn type dishwashing detergent, and noticed a major improvement this morning.

By Coopaveryben on Friday, July 9, 2004 - 01:19 pm:

Yes he had it on his Penis....boys! They have a "club house" down at our creek and they must have peed down there and gotten it on somehow. I am spraying the creek bank today with poison killer. I have never gotten it so I don't pay much attention to it.

Ginny, I'm glad it worked!

By Karen~moderator on Friday, July 9, 2004 - 06:16 pm:

Chrissy, you are so lucky you got him to the doctor and treated it quickly.

What I didn't post before was, when oldest DS had it, his was so swollen with it, he couldn't go pee and had to go to a pediatric urologist and was on all kinds of meds. He also had it in his lungs that time and he was one sick puppy. I didn't want to scare you before with this entire story.

But this can maybe be helpful to someone in the future when it comes to little boys and poison ivy.

I'm glad he's doing better now!

By Amecmom on Friday, July 9, 2004 - 11:39 pm:

Poor, poor, kid! I'm glad he's a little more comfortable.
Ame

By Coopaveryben on Saturday, July 10, 2004 - 04:13 pm:

Wow Karen, I didn't think about it swelling but I guess that would happen. I'm glad you suggested taking him sooner..Thank you!

By Karen~moderator on Sunday, July 11, 2004 - 12:18 pm:

Chrissy, I wasn't sure if I should post all that or not, don't want to scare anyone, but it's something that CAN happen, depending on the extent of the poison ivy and the severity of the allergy to it.

I'm glad your DS is better now. Hopefully, if anyone else has a child who experiences something similar to what your DS did, they will see this post and not wait to get medical treatment.