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Is prednisone regularly prescribed for poison ivy? Does any know and if not what is better to east the itching and swelling and spread?

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The following info from Medline Plus may help

Poison Ivy: Prevention And Treatment

It's the world's most common allergy, affecting nearly half of all Americans. Each year, about 50 million people get a reaction from poison ivy, sumac and oak — including many people who aren't allergic to anything else.

The wicked itch and bothersome rash are the result of urushiol oil, a potent toxin. Get as little as one-billionth of a gram on your skin and you might be scratching yourself silly. And a lot more than that billionth of a gram is released when the plant is disturbed through direct contact with its stem, leaves or roots. Here's how to prevent and treat poison plant reactions:

Prevention

Dose yourself with deodorant
There are effective commercial products that can help keep the urushiol oil from getting into your skin. But in a pinch, try what members of the U.S. Forestry Service have done before venturing into nature: Spray some deodorant on exposed areas like arms and legs. The active ingredient in deodorants, aluminum chlorohydrate, can prevent urishiol from irritating the skin, and can be applied if you might come in contact with poison ivy. Just be careful not to spray any on your face.

Give yourself, clothing and tools a good wash — quickly
First the bad news: Since urushiol oil can remain potent for up to five years, you can get a reaction from touching tools or clothing that were used to dig up poison ivy years earlier. The good news: If you wash yourself and those items in soapy water within 15 minutes of contact, you can help avoid the rash.

The same goes for initial contact with the plant. A quick wash with soap and warm water can help prevent a reaction. So take advantage of a nearby sink or stream because the clock is ticking.

Treatment

The poison ivy rash develops one to two days after exposure. Once the rash develops, treatment focuses on relieving the symptoms, calming the inflamed skin and protecting it from infection, and helping blisters to heal.

Head to the kitchen for help
Calamine lotion can be very soothing for the itchy rash of poison ivy. For mild cases this may be all you need. In treating children, avoid combination products that contain antihistamines because too much antihistamine can be absorbed through the skin. In both children and adults, a compress with ice-cold whole milk helps dry the rash and soothe the itch, but don't use skim milk: It's the fat in milk that helps.

Milk of magnesia also can help because it's an alkaline solution, like calamine. Because it's thinner than calamine, it can be easier to apply.

Apply ice
The fastest and cheapest treatment is plain ice. Just place a cube directly on the irritated skin for about one minute. The coolness of the ice helps soothe itching, if only temporarily.

From the Pharmacy
Without a prescription, you can also buy antihistamines to control itching, such as cholorpheniramine (Chlortrimeton) and diphenhydramine (Benadryl). Aveeno Oatmeal in lotion, salve or bath forms is also helpful for relieving the itch.

Get professional help
For severe cases, when the rash is all over the body, on the face, or blistering, you may need to visit your doctor for antihistamines, topical or oral steroids (including prednisone), all of which can effectively treat the rash and itching.