Lesson 1Red flags and indications for urgent referral or ED evaluation: hypoxia, dehydration, severe respiratory distress, apneaThis spots clinical warning signs needing quick referral or emergency check, like low oxygen, severe distress, stopping breathing, dehydration, and changed mind state, and explains fast steadying and safe transfer in Ghana.
Recognizing hypoxia and cyanosis promptlySevere work of breathing and exhaustionApnea, poor tone, and colour change eventsSigns of significant dehydration or shockHigh-risk groups needing lower thresholdsCoordinating safe transport and handoffLesson 2Communication with caregivers: explaining likely diagnosis, home care instructions, and safe escalation stepsThis covers ways to explain diagnoses, expected illness path, and home care in simple words, while handling caregiver worry, health knowledge, and culture, and giving clear, solid escalation and safety-net tips in Ghana.
Assessing caregiver understanding and concernsExplaining likely diagnosis in simple languageTeaching home care: fever, fluids, nasal careSetting clear, specific return precautionsShared decision-making and safety-nettingDocumenting key counselling points in the chartLesson 3Focused history for febrile cough in preschoolers: onset, fever pattern, respiratory distress signs, exposures, immunization statusThis gives an organised way to take history for feverish cough in preschoolers, stressing start, fever type, breathing distress signs, contacts, vaccine status, and risks to tell mild from serious illness in Ghana.
Characterizing cough onset and durationFever pattern, height, and response to medsRespiratory distress symptoms at homeExposure history and sick contactsImmunization status and risk modifiersPast medical history and prior episodesLesson 4Follow-up planning: return precautions, timeline for expected improvement, criteria for reassessmentThis explains planning follow-up for acute breathing illness, including expected times for better symptoms, booking checks, strengthening return warnings, and recording plans for steady care and caregiver trust in Ghana.
Expected recovery timelines by diagnosisWhen to schedule in-person follow-upPhone and telehealth check-in strategiesClear written return and ED precautionsDocumenting plans and caregiver agreementAddressing barriers to reliable follow-upLesson 5Reasoned use of diagnostics: when to order chest x-ray, rapid viral testing (RSV/flu), pulse oximetry, CBC, CRP, blood culturesThis outlines when tests change care in clinic settings, including when and limits of chest x-ray, virus tests, oxygen checks, and basic blood work, while skipping low-value tests that raise cost or worry in Ghana.
When chest x-ray meaningfully guides careRole of rapid RSV and influenza testingUsing pulse oximetry for triage decisionsWhen CBC or CRP may add valueRare indications for blood culturesCommunicating test limits to familiesLesson 6Antibiotic stewardship: criteria for suspecting bacterial pneumonia and first-line antibiotic choices by local guidelinesThis focuses on spotting when bacterial pneumonia is likely, using history, exam, and risks, and picking first-line clinic antibiotics, doses, and lengths that fit local resistance and care rules in Ghana.
Clinical predictors of bacterial pneumoniaDistinguishing viral from bacterial patternsFirst-line oral antibiotics and dosingPenicillin allergy options and limitationsDuration of therapy and follow-up needsAvoiding unnecessary broad-spectrum agentsLesson 7Differential diagnoses: viral upper respiratory infection, bronchiolitis, community-acquired pneumonia, croup, pertussis—key distinguishing featuresThis reviews main clinical signs to tell viral upper breathing infection, bronchiolitis, pneumonia, croup, and whooping cough in children, focusing on age, symptom types, exam findings, and warnings for serious lower airway illness in Ghana.
Typical features of viral upper respiratory infectionClinical hallmarks of infant bronchiolitisCommunity-acquired pneumonia: signs by ageCroup: barking cough and stridor patternsPertussis stages and whooping cough cluesUsing patterns to separate overlapping syndromesLesson 8Initial outpatient management strategies: supportive care, antipyretics, hydration, inhaled bronchodilators—evidence-based indicationsThis describes evidence-based clinic treatments for common breathing illnesses, including fever reducers, nose saline, fluid plans, and airway openers, stressing when to use, doses, and skipping useless or harmful therapies in Ghana.
Evidence-based fever and pain controlHydration strategies and oral rehydrationNasal saline, suction, and humidified airWhen to use inhaled bronchodilatorsAvoiding cough suppressants and decongestantsHome monitoring and positioning adviceLesson 9Targeted physical exam for respiratory illness: vital signs, respiratory rate by age, auscultation, work of breathing assessmentThis details a focused breathing exam in children, including age-based vital signs reading, breathing effort scoring, listening techniques, and spotting signs of coming breathing failure or need for higher care in Ghana.
Age-based normal ranges for vital signsAssessing respiratory rate and rhythmWork of breathing: retractions and gruntingAuscultation: wheeze, crackles, stridorSigns of fatigue and impending failureIntegrating exam findings into triage level
