Ayla Haytan Önal, MD

Ayla Haytan Önal, MD is a pediatrician at Acibadem Dr. Sinasi Can (Kadikoy) Hospital in İstanbul, where she works in the Pediatrics unit. Her clinical work covers healthy child follow-up, respiratory infections in children, childhood rash illnesses, food allergies, asthma, weight management in children and adolescents, and developmental disorders in newborns. She has more than 28 years of experience in medicine.

Dr. Önal graduated from Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine in 1998 and completed her specialty training in Child Health and Diseases at Haydarpaşa Numune Training and Research Hospital in 2003. Her specialty thesis examined the effect of inhaled steroids on growth and development in children. From 2005 to 2008 she worked at Özel Selimiye Hospital, and in 2006 she also worked within Acıbadem Healthcare Services. She has practised at her current hospital since 2008. She is a member of the Türkiye Milli Pediatri Association, the Türk Pediatri Kurumu and the İstanbul Medical Chamber. Her published work includes papers on the coexistence of mumps and Parvo virus infection and on changes in acute phase reactants in pneumonia.

Clinical focus

A central part of Dr. Önal’s practice is healthy child follow-up: monitoring growth and development over time, reviewing feeding and nutrition, and identifying concerns at an early stage. She also assesses and follows newborns with developmental disorders. In the area of weight management in children and adolescents, she evaluates growth patterns and supports families in addressing weight-related concerns in a way that is appropriate for the child’s age and stage of development.

Dr. Önal treats a wide range of acute and ongoing conditions in children. These include upper respiratory tract diseases and lower respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia, as well as childhood rash illnesses. In the field of allergy, she evaluates and manages food allergies in children and asthma in children, with attention to symptom control and long-term follow-up. Her approach is based on a careful history, clinical examination and, where indicated, further investigations before treatment is discussed with the family.

How Dr. Önal works with international patients

Dr. Önal consults in Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for families who speak other languages. Before a visit, the Acibadem international patient team coordinates the collection of prior reports and imaging, such as X-ray or ultrasound reports, laboratory results and discharge summaries, and arranges appointments and the hospital visit. A first consultation typically covers the child’s history and symptoms, a review of existing imaging and previous treatments, a clinical examination and a discussion of the options. Video consultation is available for international patients who wish to discuss their child’s situation before travelling or as part of follow-up.