INDIAN PEDIATRICS bipus (mermaid) with meningocele. Indian J Pediatr 1992, 59: 387-388. 4. Stevenson RE, Jones KL, Phelan MC, et al. Vascular steal: The pathogenetic mechanism producing sirenomelia and associated defects of the visera and soft tissues. Pediatrics 1986, 78: 451-457. 5. Tang TT, Oechler HW, Hinke DH, Seguva AD, Franciosi RA. Limb body wall complex in association with sirenomelia sequence. Am J Med Genet 1991, 41: 21-25. 6. Rodriguez JI, Palacios J. Razguin S. Sirenomelia and anencephaly. Am J Med Genet 1991, 39: 25-27. Mothers' Beliefs and Practices Regarding Prevention and Management of Diarrheal Diseases A. Kaur S. Chowdhury R. Kumar Several community-based studies have demonstrated that most of the diarrhea related deaths can be prevented by appropriate and timely use of Oral Rehydration Therapy (0RT)(l-3). However, even after a decade of active promotion, only one third of the From the Department of Community Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160 012. Reprint requests: Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Associate Professor, Department of Community Medi- cine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Edu- cation and Research, Chandigarh 160 012. Received for publication: March 16, 1993; Accepted: May 19, 1993 VOLUME 31-JANUARY 1994 7. Murphy JJ, Fraser GC, Blair GK. Sirenomelia: case of the surviving mer- maid.J Pediatr Surgery 1992, 27: 1265- 1268. 8. Sirtori M, Ghidni A, Romero R, Hobbius JC. Prenatal diagnosis of sirenomelia. J Ultrasound Med 1989, 8: 83-88. 9. Rodriquez JI, Palacios J. Craniorachischisis totalis and sirenomelia. Am J Med Genet 1992, 43: 732-736. 10. Martinez-Frias ML, Cucalar F, Urioste M. New case of limb body wall complex associated with sirenomelia sequence. Am J Med Genet 1992, 44: 583-585. diarrheal episodes are treated by ORT(4). Though availability is an important factor but beliefs and attitudes also influence the use of ORT. The objective of this study was to find out the change in mothers' beliefs and practices after implementation of the diarrheal diseases control programme, and to use the information for improving the promotional strategy. Material and Methods Two villages of Raipur Rani block in Haryana, were purposively selected where Diarrheal Disease Control Programme is being implemented for almost a decade. A list of mothers having at least one child of less than 5-years-old was prepared and 48 mothers were selected using systematic random sampling method. Mothers were interviewed in the month of July by using a pretested semi-structured interview schedule. Results Most of the mothers described multiple causes for occurrence of diarrhea. Consump- tion of uncovered food, eating 'dirty' or 55