Lesson 1Prescribing and teaching epinephrine auto-injector use (who needs one, demonstration, action plans, carrying and storage)This lesson covers who should get epinephrine auto-injectors, choosing the right device, doses, and practical teaching sessions. It stresses showing how to use, practising, written plans, safe keeping, carrying tips, and overcoming fears from patients and families.
Finding patients needing auto-injectorsChoosing device type and right doseStep-by-step injection showingMaking personal emergency plansAdvice on carrying, keeping, and expiryHandling fears and sticking to useLesson 2Immunology of IgE-mediated and non-IgE food reactions (mechanisms, typical timing, co-factors)This lesson explains IgE and non-IgE food reaction processes, covering cell activation, signalling proteins, and affected body parts. It looks at timing, factors like exercise or painkillers, and how these link to symptoms and risks in local diets.
Sensitisation and IgE to food itemsReaction phase: cells, basophils, mediatorsNon-IgE ways and mixed typesUsual timing for quick and later reactionsRole of factors: exercise, drink, painkillersImmune base of reaction strength and limitsLesson 3Allergy testing strategy (indications and interpretation of skin prick testing, serum specific IgE, component-resolved diagnostics, limitations and false positives)This lesson reviews when to test for allergies, compares skin prick and blood IgE tests, and component checks, teaching how to read results, predict values, avoid errors, and combine with patient stories to prevent wrong diagnoses.
When to request food allergy testsSkin prick method and safetyBlood specific IgE: uses and levelsComponent checks in food allergyFalse positive risks and over-diagnosisCombining test results with patient historyLesson 4Acute management in primary care (recognizing anaphylaxis, epinephrine indications, adjunctive medicines—antihistamines, corticosteroids, bronchodilators)This lesson details handling sudden food reactions in local clinics, covering quick spotting of severe anaphylaxis, when and how to give muscle epinephrine, and using extra medicines like antihistamines, steroids, lung openers, and watching patients.
Sorting and early anaphylaxis spottingEpinephrine dose, way, and repeat rulesExtra antihistamines and steroidsLung openers for breathing issuesWatching times and release rulesWhen and how to call emergency helpLesson 5Food avoidance counseling and labeling literacy (reading menus, cross-contamination risk, restaurant safety communication)This lesson trains on advising strict food avoidance, reading labels and warnings, checking cross-mixing risks in homes and eateries, and clear talks with food places, schools, and carers to stop reactions in Zambian settings.
Main rules for strict food avoidanceReading ingredient lists and warningsUnderstanding caution messagesStopping cross-mixing in home cookingEatery risk checks and safe orderingAdvising schools, camps, and carersLesson 6Referral and follow-up (when to refer for oral food challenge, allergy specialist workup, long-term monitoring)This lesson explains when to send patients to allergy experts for food tests or advanced checks, and plans for regular visits, watching for changes, updating plans, and ongoing advice in community health.
Reasons for allergy expert referralRules for watched food testsLinking care with nutritionists and schoolsWatching for growing tolerance over timeUpdating plans and medicine scriptsHelping emotional and life quality needsLesson 7Focused history for suspected food allergy (meal details, timing, reproducibility, dose, previous exposures, exercise/alcohol co-factors, prior reactions)This lesson builds skills for targeted allergy histories, covering meal details, symptom timing, repeatability, amount thresholds, past contacts, factors like exercise or drink, and old reactions to guide tests and risk checks.
Structuring sudden reaction talksNoting meal items and cookingStart timing and symptom build-upChecking repeatability and amount linksLooking at exercise, drink, painkiller factorsNoting past reactions and base allergiesLesson 8Differential diagnoses (food intolerance, scombroid, histamine toxicity, chronic spontaneous urticaria)This lesson outlines main other causes mimicking food allergy, like food intolerance, fish poisoning, histamine overload, and ongoing hives, with clues, tests, and handling differences for each in primary care.
Telling allergy from food intoleranceSpotting fish-related histamine issuesOther histamine overload causesOngoing hives and swellingMedicine and germ-related mimicsTargeted checks for other causesLesson 9Physical exam and identification of anaphylaxis vs isolated urticaria/angioedema (airway, cardiovascular, respiratory signs, skin assessment)This lesson teaches focused body checks for possible severe reactions, stressing airway, breathing, circulation. It helps tell full anaphylaxis from just hives or swelling and spot urgent signs needing quick epinephrine.
Quick main check: airway, breathing, circulationKey skin signs in sudden allergy reactionsBreathing signs of growing anaphylaxisHeart and nerve urgent signsTelling local swelling from full anaphylaxisNoting exam findings in urgencies
