Thank you.

Holiday magic can bring joy—but also tantrums! Learn expert tips to calm big emotions, prevent meltdowns, and keep the season stress-free for your little ones.

During our recent Little Otter Live conversation, experts discussed the importance of seeing tantrums as a sign of “mental health fever,” a term we use to describe behaviors that signal underlying stress. Here’s how to understand tantrums from a mental health perspective and create a supportive environment to help children learn emotional regulation.

The idea behind whole family mental health is that children’s well-being is deeply interconnected with the mental health of their caregivers and siblings. By addressing the relationships within the family, we can create a more supportive, nurturing environment for children to thrive.

Recently, we were privileged to host Dr. Allison Applebaum, a caregiving expert and Director of the Center for Caregiving Science at Mount Sinai. Dr. Applebaum's career is rooted in addressing the emotional and practical challenges caregivers face.

Dr. Helen Egger discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic intensified mental health issues in children and families, with factors like disrupted routines, increased social media use, and economic instability playing major roles. She emphasizes the need for early intervention and family-centered mental health care to address these lasting challenges.

A letter from Dr. Helen Egger Little Otter's Co-founder and Chief Scientific and Medical Officer on World Mental Health Day 2024