[An exploratory study of the opinions of mothers about the health of children under 5 years old].

This study presents opinions of mothers about aspects of children health, 0-59 months, living in suburbs of the city of Ribeirão Preto, using home interviews. Several social-economic characteristics of this population were noted, especially the concerns of mothers related to: childhood disease, general care of their children, distribution of milk tickets, immunisation, children's growth and development process. Mothers' opinions present concerns about diseases, signs and symptoms, mothers' care, criteria for inclusion-exclusion in the Programme of Food Supplementation and aspects about the utilization of the immunisation in the Local Basic Health Unit, offering several elements which can contribute to a reflection on the care given to children at the basic level of health services in the city of Ribeirão Preto.