Dr. Doğan Öncü

My 88-year-old mother, who has complex geriatric needs, was hospitalized with pneumonia. Dr. Öncü, though a pediatrician, was consulted due to his renowned diagnostic skills. He noticed subtle signs others missed—a slight tremor and confusion pattern that didn't match typical infection delirium. He suspected a medication interaction exacerbating an underlying neurological condition. His interdisciplinary approach with neurology revealed early Parkinson's symptoms masked by her acute illness. His compassionate explanation to our family, using simple analogies about 'wires getting crossed,' helped us understand her care plan. He even adjusted her room lighting and noise levels, explaining how sensory overload affects recovery at any age. We've never encountered a doctor who connects such disparate dots.

Our 3-year-old son swallowed a rare earth magnet from a toy. The ER was chaotic, but Dr. Öncü arrived with unsettling calm. Instead of immediate surgery, he used a modified pediatric endoscope with a novel magnetic retrieval tool he'd helped develop. While preparing, he distracted our terrified child by discussing the 'space mission' to retrieve the 'moon' from his tummy, complete with rocket sound effects. The procedure was successful without incision. What stunned us was his 2 AM follow-up: he'd researched the toy brand, contacted the manufacturer about safety flaws, and provided us with documentation for a recall petition. He treated our panic not as an overreaction but as justified advocacy.

During our daughter's routine 5-year checkup, Dr. Öncü was examining her ears when he paused. He asked about her balance during cartwheels—a seemingly random question. She mentioned sometimes feeling 'woozy.' He detected minute nystagmus others had overlooked for years. Advanced imaging revealed a congenital inner ear anomaly requiring monitoring. His approach was revolutionary: he collaborated with a physiotherapist to create 'balance games' that strengthen her compensatory mechanisms. He emails us monthly with new game ideas, turning therapy into play. Last week, he sent a video of himself trying the games 'to test difficulty levels.' Who does that? He redefined preventive care.

We brought our newborn for a post-cardiac surgery follow-up. The scar was healing, but she cried incessantly. Specialists said it was normal post-op discomfort. Dr. Öncü spent 45 minutes just observing her cries—their timing, pitch, and her body language. He hypothesized it wasn't pain but sensory integration disruption from prolonged ICU sedation. His solution was unorthodox: specific swaddling techniques mimicking womb pressure, combined with curated sound frequencies (recordings of underwater sounds and heartbeat variations). Within days, the crying reduced by 80%. He then designed a 'sensory reintroduction protocol' for cardiac babies that our hospital is now adopting. He doesn't just treat diagnoses; he deciphers unspoken distress languages.