M.D. Lala Sheykhova

Our 14-year-old competitive rock climber, Elif, developed unexplained fatigue and joint pain that threatened her athletic dreams. Dr. Sheykhova didn't just run standard tests—she consulted with sports medicine specialists and discovered a rare connective tissue disorder affecting her collagen production. Her customized treatment plan included nutritional therapy and modified training, allowing Elif to place third in the national youth championships six months later.

When 3-day-old Aras failed his newborn hearing screening repeatedly, we were terrified. Dr. Sheykhova arranged emergency audiological testing at midnight, discovering congenital cytomegalovirus infection affecting his auditory nerves. Her aggressive antiviral protocol, started within the critical 48-hour window, preserved 70% of his hearing—something the literature said was nearly impossible.

Our 7-year-old, Mert, a Turkish-Korean dual citizen visiting family, developed acute pancreatitis with complications mimicking appendicitis. Dr. Sheykhova coordinated with nutritionists who created traditional Korean medicinal soups that met his dietary restrictions while comforting him culturally. She even learned basic Korean phrases to ease his anxiety during procedures.

As parents of micro-preemie twins born at 26 weeks, we faced a maze of specialists. Dr. Sheykhova became our medical 'conductor,' noticing subtle neurological signs in one twin that others missed—early indicators of cerebral palsy. Her early intervention referral at 4 months corrected age gave us therapies that minimized motor impairment dramatically.