Ivakhniuk Viktoriia Volodymyrivna

Education:

• Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, internship in pediatrics at the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Children's Clinical Hospital;
• Shupyk National University of Health of Ukraine, specialization in pediatric gastroenterology;
• certified breastfeeding consultant

Areas of professional development:

• active participant in Ukrainian and international conferences on pediatrics and pediatric gastroenterology, regarding the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of childhood diseases, particularly gastrointestinal disorders, functional digestive disorders, allergies, infectious conditions, nutritional and developmental disorders;
• completion of master classes and thematic courses in pediatric gastroenterology, breastfeeding, vaccination, respiratory diseases, infant care, with an emphasis on evidence-based medicine;
• training in Paediatric Basic Life Support (BLS) — modern resuscitation protocols for newborns, infants, and children of various ages;
• enhancing medical communication to support relationships between the doctor, child, and family.

Priority areas in clinical practice:

• management of newborns, infants, and children up to 18 years of age;
• preventive examinations of children according to age, assisting parents in forming an individual vaccination plan, providing recommendations for a healthy lifestyle;
• consulting on breastfeeding from the first days: latching techniques, increasing lactation, preventing and resolving feeding problems, monitoring weight gain and child development;
• assisting parents with introducing complementary feeding and forming healthy eating habits in children, considering the child's developmental особенности, adhering to the principles of flexible complementary feeding, correcting nutrition in cases of pickiness or food refusal, considering family gastronomic traditions;
• diagnosis and management of infants and children of various ages with common gastrointestinal diseases: gastroesophageal reflux disease, constipation, functional digestive disorders, food intolerances and allergies (milk, gluten, other products);
• management of children with complex forms of gastroenterological pathology.
• "In my practice, I emphasize the prevention of diseases in children. I analyze every complaint of the child (colic, spitting up, bowel disturbances) taking into account their age, development, and psycho-emotional state. My goal is to reduce parental anxiety and avoid excessive use of medication where lifestyle or dietary correction is effective."

Tell us about your professional interests other than your specialization:

• "In addition to clinical activities, I am actively involved in educational work for parents, developing convenient and understandable interaction formats: pediatric guides, webinars, checklists that help families better navigate issues of child health, development, nutrition, vaccination, and disease prevention. In my materials, I combine modern evidence-based knowledge in pediatrics with real-life situations that parents face daily. I also provide psychological support to families, helping parents cope with challenges related to: child sleep, its disturbances and establishing a routine; emotional adaptation of the child to kindergarten or school; reducing parental anxiety regarding the child's physiological conditions; understanding age-related developmental norms. My goal is to create a space of trust and support where every family can receive not only qualified medical care but also professional advice adapted to real life with a child."

Hobbies, favorite movies, books:

• "A child's health begins with trust – between the doctor, child, and parents. It is important for the child to feel that the doctor is not someone who 'treats when it hurts,' but someone who helps them grow up healthy and happy. And parents should understand the real needs of the child's body at every stage of development. I encourage you to come for consultations not only in case of acute symptoms or diseases, but also for preventive check-ups – when everything is well. These visits create a calm contact, reduce anxiety, and build trust in the doctor from an early age. A pediatrician is your partner in caring for your child's health: from birth to adolescence. Together we can prevent problems, detect changes in time, and support the harmonious development of your little one."