Lesson 1Red flags and indications for urgent referral or ED evaluation: hypoxia, dehydration, severe respiratory distress, apneaThis spots clinical danger signs needing quick referral or emergency check, like low oxygen, severe trouble breathing, stopping breath, dryness, and changed mind state, and explains fast steadying and safe moving when needed.
Recognizing hypoxia and cyanosis promptlySevere work of breathing and exhaustionApnea, poor tone, and color 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 sickness path, and home care in simple words, while handling caregiver worry, health understanding, and culture, and giving clear steps for worsening and safety nets.
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 counseling 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 small children, stressing start, fever type, breathing trouble signs, contacts, shot status, and risks to tell mild from serious sickness.
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 check-backs for sudden breathing sickness, including expected times for better symptoms, booking re-checks, stressing return warnings, and recording plans for steady care and caregiver trust.
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 clinic care, including when and limits of chest x-ray, virus tests, oxygen check, and basic blood work, while skipping low-value tests that raise cost or worry.
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 knowing when lung infection from bacteria is likely, using history, check, and risks, and picking first clinic antibiotics, doses, and lengths that fit local resistance and careful use rules.
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 signs to tell viral nose-throat infection, small airway illness, lung infection from community, barking cough, and whooping cough in kids, focusing on age, symptom types, check findings, and dangers for worse lower air issues.
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 proven clinic treatments for common breathing sicknesses, including fever reducers, nose salt water, fluid plans, and airway openers, stressing when to use, doses, and skipping useless or harmful ones.
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 check in kids, including age-based vital signs reading, breathing effort score, listening techniques, and spotting signs of coming breathing failure or need to step up care.
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
