Noting that each year nearly 11 million children die from preventable causes before reaching their fifth birthday, this handbook contains practical, low-cost ways of protecting children's lives and health. The handbook is directed to those in positions to communicate the information to families, such as health workers, teachers, government officials, and the media. Written simply and using non-technical language, the handbook is presented in 13 chapters, each dealing with one major cause of childhood illness and death. Each chapter includes an introductory "call to action," summarizing the extent of the problem, key messages containing the essential information needed to protect children, and supporting information providing additional details and advice. Introductory material delineates essential messages from the handbook and makes suggestions for communicating the information effectively. The 13 chapter topics are: (1) timing births; (2) safe motherhood; (3) diarrhea; (4) coughs, colds, and more serious illnesses; (5) hygiene; (6) child development and early learning; (7) breastfeeding; (8) nutrition and growth; (9) immunization; (10) malaria; (11) HIV/AIDS; (12) injury prevention; and (13) disasters and emergencies. The handbook concludes with a glossary and an order form. (KB)