Sarabenet Sequeira, MD, FAAP

08/20/2026

Happy back to school season! Full seasonal newsletter coming out shortly but FYI, if it looks like COVID and quacks like COVID, it's COVID. Been seeing a big surge of what looked like Covid the last 2-3 weeks in the office, but many patients were testing negative. I was suspicious that it was still COVID based on the entire picture of symptoms, travel, and ill contacts. Sure enough, Bay Area wastewater now reflects a big surge, the highest peak since last September. So, be mindful of who you expose, follow our supportive protocols, and no intense exercise until the illness has passed.
In the meantime, get back on your full school-year schedule strictly for the next 2 weeks, and do as little as possible outside of school. Everyone is using a lot of their executive functioning just to get through the day right now.

11/21/2025

It's not too late to get your Flu shot for this year! Flu has definitely hit Marin and I've already seen both Influenza A and B. I'm anticipating a very active Flu season this year, unfortunately much like last year.

There are early indications that this flu season could be a bad one.

11/11/2025

As of 11/10/25, we are recommending discontinuing use of ALL ByHeart infant formula, not just the affected 2 lots originally published as I have a concern there will be more and Infant Botulism is too serious to risk it. We are recommending Nara Organics as my new favorite anyways and have some large sample containers at the office. My patients can contact the office and we'll give them out on a first come, first served basis. I recently met with the CEO of Nara and am very impressed by her formulation.

Introducing a whole new standard for infant formula. Nara Organics is built on the healthy fats in organic whole milk.

10/14/2025

Hello all. It's been a wild and wacky ride in the Public Health world lately, especially as we approach the winter season, so I just wanted to remind my families that I am recommending the Flu vaccine. I give the Fluzone preservative free and even when it isn't a perfect match it's really been so helpful for preventing complications from influenza. I keep internal statistics in the office and my patients unvaccinated for Flu have higher rates of serious bacterial pneumonias and antibiotic use in the winter. So giving a flu vaccine (and a pneumonia vaccine, when eligible) helps to protect your microbiome in the long run.
I will also have COVID vaccines in the office- please reach out to schedule as these do require more planning. The Novavax vaccine is a great option for those 12 and up and we will have it available in the office soon.
Marin Public health is predicting RSV any minute, with Flu peaking a little later, and COVID after the new year, so now is the time to get your winter protection on board. I found Halloween the last two years was the ultimate super spreader event for Influenza and it was the week after that I started seeing a significant number of Flu cases.
My patients, as always, can reach out at any point for personalized vaccine guidance. Wash your hands, stay well, and don't forget your Vitamin D!
Katelyn Jetelina made a updated infographic which I think is helpful for navigating all of this, see below.

Your guide, frequently asked questions, webinar recording and resources

08/14/2025

Seems timely for back to school, no?
Don't forget to keep the first weekend after school starts TOTALLY EMPTY and get back on your school bedtime now.

Email from Practical tips and resources to reduce parental stress and anxiety Cal-MAP Clinical Pearl Series Self-Care Strategies to Reduce Parental Stress and Anxiety By Dinery Egan, M.S., LMFT “Self

05/21/2025

I have stayed away from the Tok, and haven't used Instagram for patient information, instead preferring to communicate directly with my patients so that my advice can be personalized. However, right now there's a disturbing micro-trend happening on social media regarding breastfeeding. There is misinformation circulating that there's no benefit to nursing beyond six months. I was chatting with one mother about this in a visit and clearly her phone was listening because she reported back to me a day later that she was being served up a load of information that breastfeeding beyond 6 months didn't matter (Insert appropriate garbage emoji here).
Feeding a baby mother's breastmilk, in whatever form you can, for as long as it works for you, is one of the best things you can do for your baby. It prevents infections, diabetes, and even cancer in your child. Did you know that it also prevents cancer for the breastfeeding mother? It's also one of the best things you can do for your baby's microbiome. Breastfed babies have shorter milder infections and are less likely to need antibiotics.

Have you seen misinformation about breastfeeding online? How could this be corrected? I have zero interest in being a social media pediatrician but this might motivate me...

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(15)01024-7/abstract

05/03/2025

Love this article from ADDItude about girls and ADHD, that also makes a great point about treatment in general: Treatment isn't binary. It's not medication or nothing. Over the years ADHD has become a big part of my practice because there are so many integrative options to improve quality of life. For someone who likes to think about the whole picture it's really a joy to treat.

03/26/2025

Good news! Transitional Kindergarten is back on for Mill Valley. See district details below. Registration starts tomorrow and I recommend registration as soon as possible if you want a TK spot for your child. I'm a big fan of Transitional Kindergarten.

As part of this extension, the district will open registration for the TK program on March 26, 2025, for the 2025-2026 school year. Children who turn four years old by September 1, 2025, are eligible to enroll. While registration will remain open, we encourage all families who plan to enroll their children to do so during the initial round of registration, which will end on May 2, 2025.

03/02/2024

Marin County Public Health just let county providers know that we are experiencing a cluster of recent overdose deaths in the county, likely due to other drugs being laced with Fentanyl. They have found increased Fentanyl and Methamphetamine in our wastewater currently.
Please remind your kids about the risks of putting any unknown substance into their body. The risk from Fentanyl scares me even more than the mental health risks like psychosis from Ma*****na.
We have conversations about these risks in the office, but parents I encourage you to discuss these topics again and again with your kids. Make sure they know the risks, and if they are going to use substances, there are options that are lower risk than others. These issues absolutely apply to everyone, in every socioeconomic group.
For those who do choose to use substances, OD Free Marin also has resources like fentanyl testing strips, and free Narcan, a lifesaving drug that can be administered as a nasal spray by just about anyone, in an emergency.

NarCAN® (Naloxone) The Lifesaving Opioid Overdose Reversal Medication Where Can I Get NARCAN® (Naloxone?) NARCAN® (naloxone) is available without a prescription (over the counter). Please call ahead for availability and pricing. NARCAN® Vending Machines (FREE) Marin HHS Social Services Courtyard...

01/27/2024

What do you think?

In his State of the City address, Mayor Eric Adams (D) said social media companies are fueling a mental health crisis with “addictive and dangerous” products.