M.D. Ayşenur Zorteymur

Our 3-month-old granddaughter, Elif, was visiting from Germany when she developed a terrifying high fever and a strange, mottled rash. The emergency room was chaotic, but Dr. Zorteymur was an island of calm. She didn't just look at Elif; she observed her breathing, her skin tone, her subtle movements. She suspected a rare bacterial infection called late-onset GBS and acted immediately. Her decisive coordination with the lab for a STAT culture and her gentle explanation to us, terrified grandparents, made all the difference. Elif spent a week in the hospital, and Dr. Ayşenur visited her twice daily, even on her day off, just to check her capillary refill herself. She saved our little light.

As a 72-year-old grandfather with COPD, my 'pediatric' visit was unconventional. My teenage grandson, Deniz, has severe autism and a profound fear of medical settings. His previous checkups were traumatic. Dr. Zorteymur transformed the entire experience. She met us in a quiet, dimly lit consultation room first—without her white coat. She spoke to Deniz through me, using my voice as a bridge, asking about his special interest: subway maps. For his physical exam, she used a puppet to 'listen' to the puppet's chest first. She diagnosed a previously missed minor heart murmur not with alarm, but with a detailed, hand-drawn explanation for Deniz about 'a gentle extra sound in the train station of your chest.' Her respect for his neurology was the real medicine.

Our 8-year-old son, Kaan, needed a complex elective surgery for a cholesteatoma in his ear. Dr. Zorteymur's pre-op preparation was unlike anything we'd seen. She didn't just talk to us; she gave Kaan a personalized, illustrated storybook featuring 'Captain Kaan and the Ear Adventure,' explaining each step with friendly characters. The day of surgery, she showed him the anesthesia mask, let him choose its scent (bubblegum), and promised to be the first face he'd see. She kept that promise. During the delicate follow-ups, she used a tiny camera to show Kaan the healing process inside his own ear on a monitor, turning fear into fascination. She treated the child, not just the condition.

For the routine 18-month checkup of my daughter, Zeynep, I expected the standard weight-height-vaccine drill. Dr. Zorteymur spent the first ten minutes just watching Zeynep play with blocks on the floor, commenting not on milestones, but on her problem-solving and frustration tolerance. She then asked me unexpected questions: 'Does she hum to herself? Does she prefer the feel of certain fabrics?' Based on my answers, she gently guided a conversation about sensory processing patterns, giving me practical, non-alarmist strategies to support Zeynep's unique wiring. She reframed what I saw as 'picky eating' as a textural sensitivity and offered solutions. It wasn't a checkup; it was a masterclass in seeing the whole child.