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To gain first-hand knowledge of the incidence of diarrhoea among children less than five years old and of the prevailing practices in diarrhoea management, a study was carried out in July 1991 in Urgun in Paktika Province of eastern Afghanistan. A modified WHO Household Survey Questionnaire was used. Interviews with the parents of 338 children revealed that 103 children (30.4%) had diarrhoea during the previous 2 weeks. Forty one (39.8%) of these children were given ORS obtained from a health worker or bought in the market. The parents of 49 children (56.3%) claimed that they also gave an increased amount of fluid, such as plain water, soup, yoghurt mixed with water or tea during the diarrhoeal attack. Irrespective of receiving ORS therapy, 68 children (66%) were given inappropriate medications, including antibiotics, bought from the market. Forty-eight (94.1%) of the 51 children who were on exclusive or partial breastfeeding continued to be so fed during the diarrhoeal episode. Sixty-five (76.5%) of the 85 children accustomed to other additional foods continued to be fed during the diarrhoeal attack. Only a few of the parents could define conditions of diarrhoea requiring referral.