Module overview
Food allergy is common in both children and adults. A clear understanding of various aspects of food allergy, including prevention, epidemiology, immunology and clinical management and treatment, is important for general practitioners, allergy specialist nurses, dietitians and basic scientists working in this area.
This module will include an introduction of food allergy with lectures on prevention strategies, definitions, natural history and epidemiology of food allergy followed by an explanation of the immunological basis of food allergic disease. Common food allergies will then be discussed in more detail with emphasis on acute and chronic food allergic reactions. Additionally, there will be specific focus on established and novel diagnostic methods and treatment modalities.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Disciplinary Specific Learning Outcomes
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Discuss the immunological mechanisms involved in food allergy reactions and explain how these relate to clinical symptoms.
- Elaborate the principles of managing food allergy reactions, including a detailed knowledge of avoidance measures and related issues.
- Critically appraise primary, secondary and tertiary methods for prevention of food allergy.
Cognitive Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Critically evaluate the key clinical and nutritional aspects of food allergy, with particular reference to the diagnosis and clinical/nutritional management of a clinical case.
- Design personalised educational literature for a patient with food allergy.
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Solve complex clinical and scientific issues both systematically and creatively.
Syllabus
The syllabus has been divided in to five broad themes:
1. Clinical and immunological basis of food allergy including IgE and non-IgE mediated diseases and the role of food allergy in eczema, airways disease, mechanisms of sensitisation, allergen structure and oral tolerance
2. Clinical understanding of non-immune mediated food reactions, as well as how to diagnose and manage these
3. Methods, limitations and interpretation of food allergy diagnostics by skin prick testing, specific IgE and food challenge including practical demonstrations
4. Principles of management of food allergy reactions including a detailed knowledge of avoidance measures, label reading, resources and the use of nutritional supplementation as related to clinical scenarios
5. Prevention of allergic disease by primary, secondary and tertiary methods including aspects of the epidemiology, hygiene and allergic march hypotheses, and the evidence for food desensitisation
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
A variety of learning and teaching methods will be adopted to promote a wide range of skills and meet the differing learning styles of the group.
The techniques will include seminars, debates, group work, practical demonstrations and exercises surrounding interpretation of data and clinical scenarios.
Specialist lecturers from a range of academic and health care professional backgrounds will be used to ensure a breadth and depth of perspective is offered, giving a good balance between background theories and principles and practical management advice.
There will also be a basic science guided e-learning package with self-assessment available as an online package for students to take advantage of in their own time. Students should complete this component, and assessment will be formative with built in self-assessment and automated feedback.
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Tutorial | 3 |
| Teaching | 42 |
| Independent Study | 155 |
| Total study time | 200 |
Resources & Reading list
General Resources
e-Books. There are many e-books available from the University of Southampton library in both allergy and related academic subjects (e.g. reflection, study skills, communication skills). https://www-lib.soton.ac.uk/
EAACI Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Guidelines. EAACI have produced these useful guidelines which are free for members. To access, visit http://www.eaaci.org/resources/scientific-output/guidelines/2533-food-allergy-and-anaphylaxis-guideline.html.
Useful journals. • Allergy • Archives of Disease in Childhood • Clinical Experimental Allergy • Clinical and Translational Allergy • Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology • Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics • Paediatric Allergy and Immunology • Paediatrics
Global Atlas of Allergy. EAACI have produced an online Global Atlas of Allergy. To access the atlas, visit http://www.eaaci.org/globalatlas/GlobalAtlasAllergy.pdf.
Textbooks
Shaw V and Lawson M (Eds) (2014). Clinical Paediatric Dietetics. Chapter 14. Oxford UK: Blackwell.
Holgate S, Church, M and Lichtenstein L (Eds) (2011). Allergy. Chapters 8 and 13. USA: Elsevier Philadelphia PA.
Skypala I and Venter C (Eds) (2009). Food Hypersensitivity: Diagnosing and Managing Food Allergies and Intolerance. Oxford UK: Blackwell.
Leung D, Sampson H, Geha, R, Szefler, S (Eds) (2015). Pediatric Allergy. USA: Mosby Missouri.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
The assessment for the module provides you with the opportunity to demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes. There will be two assessed components i) a patient information sheet, ii) a written assignment. The pass mark for the module and all assessed components is 50%.
Summative
Summative assessment description
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Professional Skills Analysis | 40% |
| Written assignment | 60% |
Referral
Referral assessment description
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Written assignment | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External