This document provides guidance on assessing and treating a child presenting with respiratory distress. It outlines the key signs that determine severity, including inability to drink, reduced consciousness, grunting, and fast breathing rates. The most common causes of respiratory distress in children are pneumonia, malaria, asthma, anaemia, and dehydration. The document provides a decision tree to systematically evaluate the child, identify the most likely causes based on presenting signs, and determine the appropriate treatment and level of care needed.