For Your Safety

At the end of each school year, students must sit through testing. Iowa, California, etc.  Seniors are exempt from taking these, but because many classes have more than one grade taking them, the seniors are pretty much wasting time while everyone else is busy. Mac's AP Spanish teacher decided to put the kids to work. She thought it would be a great idea to have her students work on the school's landscaping while the other grades tested. 

Normally, I'm all for putting kids to work. If they have to be at school, they should be doing something productive rather than sitting in the auditorium and watching a movie. This particular day though, it would have been better if they'd stayed inside. The students were directed to pull weeds, and  almost every one of them came in contact with poison sumac. And they almost all broke out. Very. Badly. 

Do you know how to identify poisonous plants? Most people don't. Both of my boys are Eagle Scouts, and have gone on numerous camping trips, and yet they still didn't know. Abigail and I were on a walk the other day, and we discussed identifying these plants the entire time. By the end of the trail, she was able to identify every one. 

We'll start with Poison Sumac .  This plant is quite pretty, and doesn't look harmful at

 all! Except that it caused Mac to break out in blisters that ended up landing him in the Urgent Care office. Several of the students were given an injection, while the doctor Mac saw prescribed Methylprednisolone. 

Poison Sumac can look like a small plant, shrub, or tree. It usually has 9-13 alternating leaves and a red stem between the leaves. Every part of this plant is poisonous, including the bark of shrubs and trees. In the fall, the leaves turn brilliant hues from bright yellow to deep purple.

 

Next up is Poison Ivy. It grows as a low shrub, but can also be a climbing vine. It has three leaves that can be reddish and glossy, when they are very small. As the plant matures, the leaves are green and matte. 

As the "ivy" climbs trees you may notice "hairy" roots that are brown or red in appearance.  

Poison Oak is the last plant that we'll discuss. It looks exactly like a tiny oak tree, but has three leaves in a cluster. 

It's best to keep your distance from all three of these plants. The oil, Urushiol, on the plants is the culprit that makes you itch and break out in blisters. If you think you've come in contact with one of these, wash the affected area with cool water and antimicrobial soap. Warm and Hot water spread the oils! It's also important not to use a washcloth, and to shower rather than bathe.

Make sure that all clothing is washed. If the oils are not removed from your skin, you can pass the rash from one person to another. Last but not least, animals can carry the oils on their fur as well. If your dog or cat is hiking with you, make sure that they are bathed properly. One more note: Do NOT burn these plants as you can be affected by the smoke that the produce!