Table 1.

Modified respiratory distress assessment instrument (m-RDAI)

Points	0	1	2	3	4
Wheeze
Expiration	None	End-Expiratory	1/2	3/4	Whole expiration
Inspiration	None	Partly	Whole inspiration
Location	None	≤2 of 4 lung fields	≥3 of 4 lung fields
Retractions
Supraclavicular	No	Mild	Moderate	Significant
Intercostal	No	Mild	Moderate	Significant
Subcostal	No	Mild	Moderate	Significant
Respiratory Rate		Upper limit of normal respiratory rate		Points
Age < 1 month		50/ min		1 point for each increment of 5 breaths/minute above normal, max. 8 points
Age 1 – 5 months		40/ min
Age 6 – 11 months		30/ min

Note: Maximum score for wheeze - 8 points; for retractions – 9 points; for respiratory rate – 8 points. Thus RR, retractions and wheeze are equally weighted. Maximum m-RDAI score is 25 points. Adapted from Lowell et al. [11]. Example - a 3-month old child with a respiratory rate of 62 receives 5 points for Respiratory rate (62 – 40 = 22; 22/5 = 4.4; round up to 5).