At the 2nd Child Development and Neurology Congress held at Üsküdar University, the importance of the period between the ages of 0-3 in terms of child development was emphasized. Üsküdar University Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized that it is insufficient to meet only the basic needs of the child and said, "Emotional neglect occurs when the child is not taken care of and not played with. There is abandonment without distance, children's brains develop less." Stating that children living in big cities are at risk, Tarhan said, "Television is a cheap babysitter. It causes the child to speak late," he warned.
The congress, which was held at Üsküdar University Altunizade Campus Nermin Tarhan Conference Hall and whose main theme was "Take Action for Healthy Development, Care that Develops the Child: 0 - 3 Years", included international invited speakers, presentations, panels and scientific research presentations.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "Every investment made in a child affects their future"
Üsküdar University Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that the 0-3 age period is very important in child development and that the investment made in this period is an investment in the future. Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that neuro-developmental disorders are related to the development of the child's brain and mind and said, "It is an opinion accepted by scientific studies that the information learned by a child between the ages of 0-6 is more than the information learned in his whole life. As new information in this field emerges as we understand how the brain works, every investment made in the child affects his/her future."
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "Abandonment without distance prevents brain development"
Stating that there is a concept of abandonment without distance in child psychological development, Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, "A child lives at home with his mother. His mother feeds him, meets his basic needs, but devotes herself to her work. She is not interested in the child, emotional neglect occurs in the child. There is no spending time with the child, playing games or holding the child. In such cases, the child is abandoned without distance, the child's brain develops less. Neuroplasticity is weaker. Such situations cause childhood traumas in the future.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "Cheap babysitter television delays speech"
He sits the child in front of the TV. There is talk of a syndrome called clip syndrome. At first it was thought to be autism. The child comes to child psychiatry at the age of 3-4 with delayed speech. When you investigate, you realize that the child is in front of the television all day. Television is a cheap babysitter. The child is having a good time, but since he does not feel the need to produce words, the areas of the brain related to speech are not stimulated. Since there is no stimulation, the child develops delayed speech. In such cases, experts take the child away from the television and put him/her in the company of friends. There is a risk brought about by today's conditions, apartment life. In Anatolia, children have social contact with their friends from the time they start walking. In big cities, there is no social contact, if he has no siblings, if he is an only child, his only friend is television."
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that parents should be educated in order to prepare children aged 0-3 for the future, and that if the practice of motherhood and fatherhood is not good, the child does not grow well, and that this congress will provide important benefits in this sense.
Prof. Dr. Haydar Sur: "Children will save the world"
Prof. Dr. Haydar Sur, Dean of Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences, said that as a public health specialist, he worked at various levels of the ministry and that 90% of his life was spent on issues related to child health. Stating that child development is very important, Sur said, "Every investment in children will provide incredible returns, and children will save the world."
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Sarp: "The earlier we intervene, the stronger we will be"
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Sarp, Head of Child Development Department at Üsküdar University, stated that the preschool period is very important and said, "Our theme this year is the World Health Organization and UNICEF's 2030 target, developing care 0-3 years. France lowered the age of compulsory education to 3 years. We are missing out, the earlier the better. We should not miss children aged 0-3. Both in terms of mapping the brain and shaping the future of the country because there are 800 million children under the age of 5 in the world. There are 22 million in our country. The earlier we intervene, the stronger society we will be able to create."
Dr. Aigul Kuttumuratova explained the work of the World Health Organization
Dr. Aigul Kuttumuratova from the World Health Organization Copenhagen European Regional Office gave a conference titled "Child and Adult Health". Dr. Aigul Kuttumuratova explained that as the World Health Organization, the period between the ages of 0-3 is very important and that they carry out studies on this period worldwide. Stating that WHO focuses on early childhood, Kuttumuratova underlined that states, non-governmental organizations, families and education systems have important roles in child development care. Kuttumuratova emphasized the need to focus on the problems of children living under difficult conditions and experiencing nutritional and health problems, especially refugee children, minority children, children of sex workers and children of people with HIV.
Educators, academics, child development specialists, psychologists, psychiatrists, parents and administrators shared their knowledge and experiences at the 2nd Child Development and Neurology Congress organized with the contributions of Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences, World Health Organization Headquarters, UNICEF, Child Development and Educators Association, Developmental Child Neurology Association, Developmental Pediatrics Association and Üsküdar Municipality.
Prof. Dr. Nurper Ülküer from Üsküdar University Department of Child Development, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Defne Kaya, Head of Üsküdar University Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Prof. Dr. Abulfaz Suleymanov, Head of Üsküdar University Department of Sociology, Prof. Dr. Sinan Canan from Üsküdar University, Prof. Dr. Sinan Canan, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sinan Canan, Dr. Duygu Korkem, Dr. Lecturer. Prof. Dr. Filiz Shine Edizer, Dr. Mehmet Ali Torunoğlu from UNICEF Turkey, Dr. Jane Lucas from the USA also attended and made presentations about their fields.