Background. Most of the childhood illnesses can be proven with effective interventions. However, countless children die needlessly
in developing countries due to the failure of their guardians to seek care timely.The aim of this study was to assess health care seeking
behavior of caretakers of children under the age of five years for treatment of common childhood illnesses. Methods. Further analysis
of the Ethiopian 2011 demographic and health survey was done. All children under the age of five reported to have been ill from the
three common childhood illnesses and their caretakers were included in the analysis. A complex sample logistic regression model
was employed to determine factors associated with the health care seeking behavior of caretakers. Result. A total of 2,842 caregivers
who reported that their index child had at least one of the three common childhood illnesses in the two weeks preceding the survey
were captured, of which 849 (29.87%; 95% CI: 28, 32%) sought formal health care facilities. Conclusion and Recommendation. In
Ethiopia health care seeking behavior of caretakers for common childhood illnesses is low. Increasing mass media exposure can
possibly improve the health seeking behavior of caretakers.