Paediatric allergy

By the end of the course you will be better able to:

• Evaluate the epidemiology and pathophysiology underlying multisystem allergic disease
• Propose a differential diagnosis and diagnostic work-up based on the clinical history and examination in children with complex and/or uncommon allergy presentations.
• Integrate the findings of the clinical history, examination and diagnostic tests to formulate a proposed diagnosis and management plan in children with complex and/or uncommon allergy presentations.
• Design management strategies to address difficult scenarios in practice, both independently and as a team, such as poor patient concordance, safeguarding or mental health issues. 5. Reflect on the value of a multidisciplinary team for the care of children with complex multisystem allergic disease, and involve allied healthcare professionals when required
• Plan the required steps for an effective transition of adolescents with asthma and allergies into adult care
• Critically appraise the literature in the field of Paediatric Allergy and communicate your findings to an audience.

Teaching delivery format
This course has been devised in an attractive and innovative format combining asynchronous materials (e.g. pre-recorded sessions, reading lists and web-based resources) as well as live interactive sessions. A range of formats will be used to encourage active learning, including ‘meet the expert question & answer’ sessions, focused discussions, interactive case-based sessions as well as group work. Practical ‘hands-on’ elements will be covered on the optional on campus half day.

A ‘course launch webinar’ will be held in April for registered participants to introduce the course and help you get organised to maximize your learning experience. 

Key dates & provisional times (UK time): 

• 14 April 2025,  (3.20pm, 20 mins): Launch webinar (online)
• 25 April 2025 (approx. 2.30 - 6.00pm): Live online teaching
• 12 May 2025 (approx. 12.30 - 5.00pm): Live online
• 22 May 2025 (approx. 1.30 - 6.15pm): Live teaching – students can choose to attend online or on campus*.

*The on-campus teaching will be held at our South Kensington or Royal Brompton campus– live streaming will be made available for those that choose to follow the course online.

Planned topics & sessions

Practical management:

• Keynotes in Pregnancy and Infant Feeding Advice
• Food challenges
• Food and inhalant immunotherapy in practice
• Practical Management of Drug Allergies
• Reactions to vaccines in childhood
• Difficult asthma in children and teens
• Adolescent transition
• Case-based sessions, including group work and student-led sessions (e.g. ‘bring your tricky case’)
• Setting up and developing an allergy service
• Myth-busting in Paediatric Allergy

Psychosocial aspects:

• The impact of allergic diseases in children and their families:  How to address the problem
• The role of the psychologist in difficult asthma
• Health inequality in allergy
• Safeguarding in the allergy clinic

Complex allergy:

• Complex allergy case studies
• Is it allergy? Differentials in Paediatric Allergy
• Immunodeficiencies for the paediatric allergy clinician
• Complex non-IgE-mediated food allergy – the role of a multidisciplinary team

Other:

• Diagnostic tests in paediatric allergy
• Update on epidemiology of allergic diseases in childhood
• Sleep & allergic disease

CME approval from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) will be sought.  All participants will be awarded an Imperial College London Certificate of Attendance on completion of the course.

The course is suitable for doctors (GPs, specialist trainees and consultants in Allergy, Paediatrics, Gastroenterology, Dermatology), as well as nurses, dietitians, health visitors and other healthcare professionals wishing to improve their ability to manage children with allergies in daily practice.

This is an advanced course and not suitable for those with little or no knowledge of paediatric allergy.

Participants have the option of completing an assessment component and on completion will be provided with an official Imperial College London transcript of results. Please note that there is an additional assessment fee payable in full prior to submission date.

The assessment will take place usually 2-4 weeks after the course dates and it consists of the preparation of a 'Grand Round’ type oral presentation using slides, plus an accompanying document containing an abstract and academic referencing.

You will be asked to give a 10 minute presentation using slides in an online webinar platform. This should cover a somehow complex clinical allergy case in a child with more than one allergic condition. Challenging aspects in the diagnosis or management, and/or how to tackle them (involving the multi-disciplinary team), should be discussed. For instance, aspects like impact on quality of life or diet/nutrition, safeguarding concerns or transition needs. How this case fits into the classical concept of the allergic march and our current understanding of allergy pathophysiology should be discussed. The presentation will be followed by 5 minutes of questions from the examiners.

Full details of the assessment and deadline for submission will be given during the course. Please contact us for further information.