The oil from the plant is contagious. So as long as you remove the oil it is no longer contagious. The amount your exposed to and the sensitivity of the skin to where it came in contact depends on when and how bad a rash will be. The rash may be worsened by scratching, but by the cause of scratching not the rash. Either the children you are watching are becoming in contact by poison ivy close to the home that your not aware of, something your child plays with is covered in the oil, or the children you watch are not bathing. This is from personal experience growing up with 5 siblings who have a had poison ivy over 10 each. pay attention to your surroundings and stop knocking the truth |