12punto had brought it to the agenda: 'This inconceivable practice is child abuse'

The Ministry of Health has launched an investigation into the cupping therapy practice that sparked outrage on social media.

Speaking to Fulya Soybaş from Hürriyet, President of the Turkish Pediatric Association, Prof. Dr. Haluk Çokuğraş, stated that methods like cupping are dangerous:

'THEY CAN GO INTO SHOCK'

"The alternative to medicine is quackery. It is the year 2024. Certain practices that are long outdated and whose effectiveness has not even been scientifically proven are being resurrected. Such practices put children's health at risk. At the very least, there is a risk of infection. Various circulatory disorders can occur. Drawing a large amount of blood from a child can lead to anemia, and the child may go into shock as a result."

'DEATHS CAN OCCUR'

Pediatrician Dr. Orhan Çura stated, "Cupping has no scientific basis. There are no articles or research written on this subject. If this is done in places and by hands that are not qualified, it creates major hygiene problems. Scratching a child's skin to make it bleed for an unspecified duration and placing a cup on it can cause the child to experience pain shock, heart rate acceleration, fainting, and difficulty breathing. If the bleeding lasts for a long time, the child can go into hypoglycemic shock, and deaths can occur due to insufficient oxygen reaching the brain."

Stating that at least 3-4 children come to him every week with scratches on their backs, Çura said, "They are also applying this inconceivable practice to children with autism. This is called 'child abuse.' And unfortunately, there is no place for us to complain. Because the Ministry of Health officially permits this practice, the matter is not being followed up," he said.

ABUSE STATEMENT

Speaking to 12punto, Secretary General of the Turkish Medical Association, Prof. Dr. Hilmi Önder Okay, had previously stated that practices such as cupping and leech therapy on babies and children constitute abuse. Okay also stated, "If an adult wants to have this done by their own choice, by giving consent, and under ideal conditions, they can do so; it is the person's free will. But it is unacceptable for it to be done to a baby by their relatives without being informed that it is harmful; it carries a great vital risk," he had expressed.