Objective. Evaluate the application of the Integrated Care for Childhood Illnesses (ICCI) strategy in Cartagena, for the appropriate care at home (component 3). Materials and methods. Descriptive, correlational and cross-sectional research study, with a sample of 323 parents and/or caregivers, the questionnaire on key practices of the ICCI strategy was applied. Descriptive statistics were used for the analysis of the information. Results. 37.2% of the parents offer breast milk and other liquids during an illness and only 22% offer it exclusively. Within the complications to feed during a disease, the most representative sign was: lack of appetite with 60.7%, home remedies are administered with high frequency 81.1%, the most common infusions being chamomile (41.8%) and lemon balm (28.8%). The strategies to correct children’s behavior were: talks to them (61.9%), scolds them (57.9%) and hits them (43.7%). Lastly, the frequent strategies to avoid accidents are plug covers (40.6%) and avoiding kitchen access (45.8%). Finally, home care practices and the type of caregiver (father and mother) were not statistically significant. Conclusions. The evaluated practices in regard to the appropriate care component at home of child under five years old in a community of Cartagena, are not practiced satisfactorily. Keywords: Child Care, Child Health Services, growth and development