Noting that a quarter of a million children in the developing world die each week and that millions more live with ill health and poor growth, this handbook presents practical, low-cost ways of protecting children's lives and health. It is directed to those people who are in the position to communicate this information to families, such as health practitioners, educators, politicians, or the media. Written in plain language, each of the 11 chapters consists of: a note to communicators, on why the chapter's messages exert such powerful leverage on maternal and child health; prime messages, basic information that every family and community ought to know; and supporting information, more detailed information on each prime message for those who want or need to know more. The 11 chapter topics are: (1) timing births; (2) safe motherhood; (3) breastfeeding; (4) child growth; (5) immunization; (6) diarrhoea; (7) coughs and colds; (8) hygiene; (9) malaria; (10) AIDS; and (11) child development. (TJQ)