What are signs of distress?

A sign of distress is when someone or something feels really upset and needs help.

Imagine you're playing with your favorite toy, and it starts to cry, that’s like a sign of distress! It means the toy is unhappy and wants you to fix it.

If a friend is crying or shaking, they might be feeling really sad or scared. That's their sign of distress, just like your toy cried when it was broken.

A dog might whine or bark a lot if it’s lost, that’s its way of showing distress. A plant might droop and lose its leaves if it doesn’t get enough water, which is also a kind of sign of distress.

When you see someone or something acting differently because they're upset, that's a clue they need help, just like your toy needed you to fix it!