In the Mother and Infant Mental Health Webinar Symposium organized by Üsküdar University Maternal Infant Mental Health Application and Research Center and Institute of Social Sciences, the importance of the relationship between mother and infant mental health was emphasized. Üsküdar University Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan pointed out that although very important and successful studies have been carried out in the field of maternal and infant health, there are no policies on maternal and infant mental health and said, "This should now become a state policy. Mental health follow-up of children must also be done."
Experts working in the field of maternal and infant mental health met at the 'Maternal and Infant Mental Health Webinar Symposium' organized by Üsküdar University Maternal Infant Mental Health Application and Research Center and Institute of Social Sciences within the scope of "Maternal Mental Health Awareness Day". The importance of maternal and infant mental health was pointed out in the symposium held online via the zoom webinar system within the scope of combating the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "Mother and child mental health is overlooked"
Üsküdar University Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that there are policies on maternal and child health between the ages of 0-3 in Turkey and said, "Very good things are being done regarding maternal and child health. Child mortality has decreased. But on the mental health side, the mental health of the mother and child is unfortunately overlooked. In this regard, we are in an effort to make the invisible visible. Especially developments in neuroscience reveal the relationship between maternal and infant mental health. Prenatal and perinatal psychology, how is the mental health of the mother and child, how does the mental health of the mother affect the child? There is a neuroscientific perspective that all these bring. There is biological evidence on this. Previously it was said to be 0-3 years, but there are also opinions that say 0-5 years. More than 50% of the information a child learns is recorded in the brain during this period. For example, there are cases of wild children in the literature. He grew up among animals and learned from them how to eat, how to sleep, how to run. He imitated them. In other words, the child does all social learning in this period. There are even opinions that sexual identity traits are modeled by parents during this period. There are serious debates on this subject. It is called epigenetic learning. If what is learned happened at a young age, it is written in the genes. It becomes unchangeable in that person."
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "The foundation of a child's personality is laid between the ages of 0-5"
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan noted that the foundation of a child's personality is formed during this period and said, "The seeds of a child's personality are sown at this age. The biological aspect of a personality is 30-40 percent, 60 percent is environmental. The first laying of its foundation lies in the mother-child relationship. Our biological and genetic sequence has set extremely important codes in the mother-child relationship. In mother-child bonding, the mother's brain secretes great oxytocin. There is no paternal hormone, there is a maternal hormone. Therefore, the relationship and bond that the child establishes with his/her mother is very important."
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "Follow-ups should also be made regarding the mental health of the child"
Emphasizing that this should now become a state policy, he said, "The mother-child relationship or the relationship of the mother's substitute with the child has become a serious scientific field. This issue has not been organized into serious policies. Therefore, it is important that we publish the final reports of this congress in a book. In Family Health Centers, child follow-up and vaccination follow-up are done very well. There should also be follow-ups on the mental health of the child. Because one out of 5 mothers who give birth has a mental health problem. This is not a small number, many mothers cannot take care of their children for this reason. Since we have a large family structure, we can compensate for many things, but now the nuclear family structure has become more widespread. There are no grandmothers, grandfathers and grandmothers like before. Therefore, we need to take more steps in this regard. There should be child mental and physical health policies, there should be follow-up, and child developers should be in the field. The final report of this congress is very important."
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "60% of crying babies have anxious mothers"
Speaking about the "crying baby polyclinic" that came to the agenda in a session at the congress of the American Psychiatric Association, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan drew attention to the concept of abandonment without distance and said the following:
"In the one-year report of this clinic, it was understood that 60 percent of the crying of babies is caused by anxious mothers. We see it in many diseases in advanced ages. Depending on the attachment in the mother-child relationship, many psychiatric diseases in advanced age due to pathological attachment, many situations such as the child's inability to think independently and individualize are related to the motherhood model. The mother's emotional expression is also important.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "There is also emotional neglect of the child
In the literature, there is the concept of abandonment without distance. The mother and child are in the same house, but the mother is absorbed in household chores, or she feeds and drinks the child, cleans the diapers, and then devotes herself to other tasks. She doesn't play with the child, there is no eye and physical contact, she can't communicate emotion with the child, and this leads to child neglect. The child is not only physically neglected but also emotionally neglected. Meeting physical needs is enough for health, but it is not enough for mental health."
Prof. Dr. Nazan Aydın: "The mental health of the mother affects the personality of the baby"
In her presentation titled "The Importance of Maternal Mental Health / The Importance of Maternal Mental Health in the Time of Covid-19", Prof. Dr. Nazan Aydın, Director of Üsküdar University Maternal and Infant Mental Health Application and Research Center, Lecturer at the Department of Psychology, stated that maternal mental health should be everyone's concern and said, "Everyone was affected by their mother's mental state while still in their mother's womb. Their mother's mental state shaped their future health status or illnesses. Everyone's personality was affected by the mental state of the mother who raised them."
Prof. Dr. Nazan Aydın: "Stay away from coronavirus news"
Stating that the Covid-19 pandemic process is a new source of stress for mothers, Aydın said, "While the period from the decision to get pregnant until 3 years after birth is a very sensitive and caring time for both mother and baby, the current Covid-19 pandemic has increased the sensitivity of this process even more as an additional source of stress. Unexpectedly changing living arrangements, uncertainty and its impact on relationships, and limited access to health services have been significant sources of stress. This is likely to have led to a recurrence of symptoms in women with a pre-existing mental illness. There may also be women who did not have a mental illness before but were negatively affected by this process and experienced mental illness for the first time. This is especially important for mothers who are still pregnant or who have recently given birth or whose baby is within the first 3 years, because the mother's mental illness simultaneously affects her baby."
Prof. Dr. Nazan Aydın said, "Your baby has the ability to perceive your emotions. Do not constantly expose yourself or your baby to images and videos about the coronavirus, and make sure to choose only official sources."
Prof. Dr. Nurper Ülküer: "Child mental health problems occur under the age of 14"
In her presentation titled "The Importance of Mental Health in Child Development", Prof. Dr. Nurper Ülküer, Head of Child Development Department at Üsküdar University, pointed out that mental health problems affect -20% of the child and youth population in the world today and said, "Most of these children live in under and middle developed countries. Considering that the child and youth population constitutes 50% of the average population in these countries, it is obvious that child and youth mental health problems pose a significant threat to public health. Again, studies show that child mental health problems occur under the age of 14, but their roots are in developmental problems in infancy."
Prof. Dr. Faculty Member Remziye Keskin: "New mothers and expectant mothers are even more worried during this period"
Üsküdar University Maternal and Infant Mental Health Application and Research Center Deputy Director Dr. Faculty Member Remziye Keskin said in her presentation titled "Mental Health of the Mother in the Covid-19 Outbreak": "Our social life is restricted due to the pandemic. For a pregnant or new mother, this means that she is deprived of her mother, who is the most important source of support, and her friends. The Covid-19 pandemic has created an additional risk for the emergence of mental illnesses in mothers in this already challenging and risky period, because anxiety has increased for many reasons. In addition to their concerns about protecting themselves, new mothers were worried about not being able to protect their babies, whom they feel like a part of them, and they became even more worried with this pandemic we experienced."
Fear of childbirth and positive parenting were discussed
Üsküdar University Faculty Member Dr. Faculty Member Oğuz Omay, "Maternal Mental Health - What Happens in Real Life?" and Üsküdar University Midwifery Department Head Prof. Dr. Güler Cimete, "Fear of Childbirth" took part in the symposium.
Unrecognized pregnancy
Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital Child Adolescent Psychiatry Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten presented "The Effect of Positive Parenting Approach on Child Mental Health", Üsküdar University Institute of Social Sciences Director and NP Feneryolu Medical Center Psychiatry Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gökben Hızlı Sayar presented "Unnoticed Pregnancy", Üsküdar University Institute of Social Sciences Lecturer İdil Arasan Doğan made a presentation titled "Interpersonal Relationships After Birth".
The role of the father was also discussed
Üsküdar University Institute of Social Sciences Deputy Director Dr. Faculty Member Hüseyin Ünübol participated in the symposium with his presentation titled "Father in Pregnancy and Birth Process" and Üsküdar University Nutrition and Dietetics Department Head Prof. Dr. Aliye Özenoğlu made a presentation titled "The Effect of Nutrition on Mental Health".
They shared their experiences
İlknur Okay, President of El Bebek Gül Bebek Association, shared her experiences with her presentations titled "Being a Mother of a Premature Baby" and Ayla Varlı shared her experiences with her presentations titled "A Mother's Struggle with Postpartum Depression".
