INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — It’s almost summer, which means poison ivy is ready and waiting to touch your exposed skin! Doctors say during this time of year, they see an increase in kids getting the rash.

Dr. Shannon Dillon, a pediatrician at Riley’s Hospital for Children, joined Daybreak on Friday to share how to avoid poison ivy and the best ways to treat it.

“Poison ivy is a plant and classically this time of year when it’s first coming up, what you want to look for are leaves of three,” Dillon said. “It can be really sneaky sometimes you don’t even know what to look for if it’s hidden within other plants or if you even come in contact with it.”

Treating poison ivy

• Relieving itching using a wet compress, soaking in cool water
• Oatmeal baths
• OTC corticosteroid
• OTC skin protection

“So things like calamine lotion or oatmeal baths or hydrocortisone cream that you can pick up over the counter, those can all help soothe the itching Benadryl or Zyrtec or other antihistamines can be helpful. And in most people that’s all you need to do are over-the-counter treatments but some people do have more severe rashes and they’re going to need to go see their doctor to get something stronger,” Dillon said.

When to see a doctor

• Fever
• Skin looks infected (pus)
• Itching gets worse
• Rash spreads to eyes or mouth
• It becomes hard to breathe