The UCSF-John Muir Health Jean and Ken Hofmann Cancer Center at the Behring Pavilion is now open.  LEARN MORE >

Expert Pediatric Infectious Diseases Care—Close To Home

For parents in Contra Costa County and surrounding communities, having a child with a complex medical condition used to mean spending lots of time traveling all over the Bay Area for visits with children’s specialists. 

Through our collaboration with Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, we diagnose and treat a wide variety of common and rare infectious diseases for children and teens of all ages—right here, close to home.   

In addition to your pediatric infectious disease specialist, your child’s care team may also include nurses and other healthcare providers—all who have advanced training in specifically treating children and teens.    

Meet Your Doctors

samantha johnston

Samantha Johnston, MD

Pediatric Infectious Diseases

What keeps me going with infectious diseases is that it is constantly changing. It is like being a detective. You are working to solve the mystery of what is causing a problem in a child, or population, and you hope to find a solution!

I love children and working with people. I hope to give the patient and their families the information they need to be empowered to deal with the disease they are facing. For patients who live far away or cannot come to see me regularly, I can also work with primary care physicians to provide a supporting framework and guidance to manage their conditions from a distance. 

talal seddik

Talal Seddik, MD

Pediatric Infectious Diseases

I've always wanted to be a pediatrician because it is a way for me to help both children and their families while making a long-lasting impact on their lives. I partner with families and use an evidence-based, scientific approach to develop a plan to treat illnesses that could be caused by infectious agents. 

As an infectious diseases specialist, my job is to determine if a child has an infection and, if not, to help guide further steps toward an alternate diagnosis. Most infections are treatable or will resolve on their own without treatment, so patients with infections often get better, which is very rewarding.  

jmh stanford

What Our Partnership With Stanford Medicine Children’s Health Means For Your Family

Your pediatrician referred you to us, and we want you to know that you’re in good hands. Our collaboration marries the best of two worlds for our patients and their families by bringing Stanford Medicine Children's Health expertise and innovation into a community-based setting that keeps families close to home. Together, our partnership provides:

  • Expert Care from Stanford Medicine Children’s Health Doctors: From office visits to hospital procedures and stays at our Walnut Creek Medical Center, you can rest easy knowing that your child will be cared for by some of the nation’s top pediatric specialists—without having to travel to outside of the East Bay.
  • Comprehensive Care, Conveniently Close: Any hospital-based services your child may need—ranging from simple blood work and imaging to infusion therapies—can all be conveniently done at our Walnut Creek Medical Center by staff who are highly trained in treating children of all ages, using specialized equipment designed just for children. 
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU): If your child requires complex care, you’ll have the added peace of mind that our PICU—staffed 24/7 by Stanford Medicine Children’s Health doctors and John Muir Health nurses and other care providers—is right here at our Walnut Creek Medical Center. Learn more about our PICU.

Learn more about Stanford Medicine Children’s Health and our partnership.