Treatment Through Diet

A child who has a lot of side effects from anti-seizure drugs, or whose seizures cannot be controlled by them, may be treated with a special restricted calorie diet that tricks the body into burning fat, instead of glucose, for energy.

The diet is very high in fats and low in protein and carbohydrates. It produces a change in the body's chemistry called ketosis, which has the effect of controlling seizures, or reducing their frequency, in two out of three children placed on the diet. Although not all children benefit, parents report that children who do are more alert and active than they were previously.

The ketogenic diet must be worked out by a dietitian, weighed out in grams by the family, and followed by a doctor just as if it were a course of drug treatment. It is not a do-it-yourself diet, but must be carefully tailored to the individual child, and strictly followed. The diet is usually given in the form of fatty foods and cream, with a 4 to 1 ratio of fat to protein and carbohydrate. It may also be given by adding a special oil to a more regular diet.

Like other treatments, the ketogenic diet has some side effects, which the medical team monitors through blood and urine tests and follow up visits. The diet is primarily used to treat children for a limited period of time, after which the diet may be slowly tapered and regular food slowly re-introduced. If seizures return, the diet may be re-instituted. Studies are underway to see if the ketogenic diet would work for some adults as well; early results suggest that it may, but the long term effects of such a high fat diet are unknown.