Nationally recognized pediatrician, author, parenting expert and medical correspondent.
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02/20/2026
Have you heard of this viral butter “hack”? 🧈 People online are saying giving their baby a small amount of organic or grass-fed butter before bedtime helps them sleep through the night.
Here’s the honest answer: there’s no scientific evidence that butter improves infant sleep.
Butter is almost entirely saturated fat and doesn’t provide the key nutrients babies need for growth and development. Sleep isn’t about a magic bedtime food, it’s about overall nutrition, development, and routine.
If you’re looking to support healthy sleep, focus on:
• Offering balanced, nutrient-dense meals during the day
• Including healthier fats like avocado, nut butters (age-appropriate), olive oil, and eggs
• Prioritizing a consistent, calming bedtime routine
If you still have problems with your baby’s sleep, leave your questions below!
Video credit: (tiktok)
02/19/2026
At , we are now offering early screening for Type 1 diabetes using a simple finger-poke test from to check for diabetes autoantibodies.
Many people think Type 1 appears suddenly, but in reality, this autoimmune process often begins years before symptoms show up.
This quick in-office screening helps identify those at higher risk for Type 1 Diabetes so we can monitor closely, educate families on early warning signs, and potentially consider newer treatments like Tzield that may delay the onset in certain cases.
Early detection can help prevent dangerous emergencies and that’s why I’m so excited to be able to offer this to our families!
If you’re part of our practice, ask us about screening. And wherever you are, talk to your pediatrician to see if it’s right for you.
02/17/2026
Gastroenteritis (stomach flu) and influenza (the flu) are NOT the same! 🤒🦠
The stomach flu is a stomach intestinal infection that causes vomiting & diarrhea, while the flu is a respiratory virus which causes fever, chills, and body aches. The flu vaccine does not protect against vomiting and diarrhea! If you do have the flu or suspect you do, there are now at home tests to check. Either way, if you have either of these stay hydrated, stay home, and call your doctor if you’re not improving after a few days.
02/16/2026
Thank you
for a great discussion on what parents need to know about the for this season, how to protect teller and your kids, and what to do if you do get the flu.
02/12/2026
Parents, has your baby entered the “squealing stage”? This is actually a very important stage in baby’s language development! They are exploring their voice and learning cause and effect through your reaction. This is a great opportunity to engage in back and forth conversation to help their growing brains!
Video Credit: (TikTok)
02/11/2026
Have you ever heard of this home remedy “hack”? While there is no scientific evidence to prove putting mandarin peels on you sick child’s feet will help, there IS support to show that eating mandarins provide vitamin C, hydration, and antioxidants that help support the immune system.
VC:
02/10/2026
This poor baby has what looks like a severe yeast infection! As a pediatrician with over 25 years of experience, here’s what I recommend:
🌬️ Keep it dry: breathable clothing, frequent diaper changes
🛁 Daily gentle baths with warm water + mild soap
🧼 Light exfoliation, then pat dry (don’t rub!)
🧴 Antifungal cream + powder
🚫 Skip thick ointments like Aquaphor or Vaseline
🦠 Probiotics may help in some cases
🧼 Wash hands well after applying treatment to avoid spreading it
⏰ No improvement in 24–48 hours? Call your pediatrician, sometimes there’s more going on
(TikTok) I hope your little one is feeling better and healing quickly 💛 Sending you all my best.
02/10/2026
Did you know RSV is not something only babies get? Older kids, teens, and adults can catch RSV too. For them, it often feels like a typical winter cold, but here’s the concern:
Older kids and adults can bring RSV home to newborns, infants, or grandparents, where it can become much more serious and affect their lungs.
That’s why at-home combination respiratory tests like Flowflex Plus FlowFlexUS 4-in-1 RSV + Flu A/B + Covid Test can be helpful. Knowing which virus you’re dealing with early on can guide smarter decisions and extra precautions.
Having clear answers helps families take extra steps to protect the ones who need it most.
02/09/2026
Heartbreaking news from New Mexico: an infant’s death may be linked to raw milk consumed during pregnancy. Raw milk can harbor dangerous bacteria like Listeria and Salmonella that easily pass to unborn babies, even if the mother shows no symptoms. Pasteurization is a crucial step that kills these germs without harming nutrition. For the health of your baby, always choose pasteurized dairy. If you’ve had raw milk while pregnant, contact your doctor immediately.
02/05/2026
LA County is investigating 3 confirmed measles cases. The good news: they’re unrelated, linked to recent travel, and no community spread has been identified yet.
Still, measles is extremely contagious and symptoms can take up to 21 days to appear. We’ve seen how quickly it can spread in areas with lower immunity.
What to know: • Symptoms: fever, rash, cough, runny nose, red eyes, especially if unvaccinated • If you suspect measles: isolate and contact your doctor or public health • You’re protected if: you’ve had 2 MMR doses, positive titers, or were born before 1957 • Early vaccination: may be recommended in certain situations – ask your pediatrician
California isn’t considered high risk right now, but staying informed and up to date matters 💙
02/03/2026
Tuberculosis is back in the headlines after a recent California high‑school outbreak, but it’s not something you’ll catch from a quick hallway hello. 👋 It spreads only after prolonged indoor exposure to someone with active disease.
The good news? TB is treatable and preventable when caught early. If your child was in the school, follow your local health‑department’s guidance. If anyone (including you) has a lingering cough or those classic symptoms, talk to your pediatrician and get tested.
02/02/2026
Red cheeks + nonstop hand chewing? That’s often teething!
Teeth don’t just pop in overnight; they move under the gums first, which is why symptoms can come and go for weeks before you see a tooth.
Hand chewing, drooling, rosy cheeks, and mild fussiness is common. On the other hand, if you observe a high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or a baby who seems truly sick, call your pediatrician.
video credit: (TikTok)
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A working mother and UCLA-trained pediatrician who practices in Southern California, Dr. Tanya Altmann is a best-selling author, network television parenting expert, and entertainment industry consultant. Dr. Tanya is an American Academy of Pediatrics spokesperson, approved by the national physician organization to communicate complicated medical issues into easily understood concepts.
As a child health expert for numerous news programs and talk shows, including Today (NBC), Fox News Channel, KTLA 5 Morning News (CW Los Angeles), and The Doctors, Dr. Tanya has discussed breaking medical news stories and controversial parenting issues.
Dr. Tanya has a broad understanding of the most recent medical developments. In addition to founding Calabasas Pediatrics, a new type of pediatric practice for today’s modern family, she is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA and is the Chief Medical Advisor for the Newborn Channel. Dr. Tanya’s recent book, What to Feed Your Baby a Veggie-Loving, No-Fuss, Healthy-Eating Kids was a best seller since it’s release. She is also the author of Mommy Calls, Dr. Tanya Answers Parents’ Top 101 Questions About Babies and Toddlers, Editor-in-Chief of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ parenting book The Wonder Years and Associate Medical Editor of their best selling Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5.
When parenting questions arise, Dr. Tanya has the answers—she has been quoted in hundreds of periodicals, including Newsweek, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, People, and Parents magazine. Her popular parenting events help parents through day-to-day child rearing challenges, and she responds to concerned caregivers and blogs on controversial topics for a variety of health and parenting websites including TODAY Parents and Web MD. Entering the new era of social media, Dr. Tanya is on the Editorial Advisory Board for Sharecare, a new interactive healthcare website.
Dr. Tanya has served on the board of the National Association of Medical Communicators and the executive board of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Communications and Media. She completed her internship and residency at UCLA, received her medical degree from the Sackler School of Medicine, and her Bachelor of Arts degree from Claremont McKenna College.
