Assoc. Prof. Hande Turan, MD

Assoc. Prof. Hande Turan, MD is a pediatric endocrinology specialist at Acibadem Maslak Hospital in İstanbul, where she works within the Pediatrics unit. Her clinical work is directed at endocrine and hormonal health concerns affecting children and adolescents, including growth disorders. She has more than 17 years of experience in medicine and consults in Turkish and English.

Dr. Turan graduated from Ege University Faculty of Medicine in 2009. She then completed her training in Child Health and Diseases at Dr. Behçet Uz Pediatric Diseases Training and Research Hospital in 2014. Between 2009 and 2015 she worked at İzmir Behçet Uz Pediatric Diseases, and from 2015 to 2016 she was based at Hatay Kırıkhan Devlet Hospital. In 2016 she held positions at Taksim Gaziosmanpaşa Training and Research Hospital and at Cerrahpaşa University Pediatric Endocrinology, and in the same year she joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services.

Clinical focus

Dr. Turan’s practice centers on pediatric endocrine disorders. A central part of this work concerns hormonal disorders in children, in which the glands that regulate growth, metabolism, puberty and other body functions may produce too much or too little of a given hormone. Because children are still developing, the evaluation of these conditions takes into account the child’s age, stage of development and overall health, and findings are interpreted in that context rather than in isolation.

Growth disorders in children form a further area of her work. Assessment of a child’s growth generally includes a review of the medical and family history, measurement of height and weight over time, a clinical examination and, where indicated, laboratory testing. Once the evaluation is complete, the findings and any possible next steps are discussed with the family so that decisions can be made with a clear understanding of the child’s situation. Dr. Turan works alongside colleagues in the Pediatrics unit when a child’s care involves more than one area of pediatric medicine.

How Dr. Turan works with international patients

Dr. Turan 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 laboratory results, ultrasound or MRI reports, previous clinic letters and discharge summaries, and arranges appointments and organizes the hospital visit. A first consultation typically covers the child’s history and symptoms, a review of existing test results and previous treatments, a clinical examination and a discussion of the available options. Video consultation is available for international patients, which allows families to discuss their child’s situation with Dr. Turan before deciding whether to travel to İstanbul for an in-person assessment.