Ketogenic Diet

When medications fail to control a child's seizures, your doctor may recommend a special high fat, low carbohydrate, restricted calorie diet.

It is called the ketogenic diet and is a recognized treatment that is offered at epilepsy centers and by many pediatric neurologists with an interest in treating epilepsy.

The high fat ketogenic diet is designed to change the way a child gets energy from food. Instead of getting energy from glucose (carbohydrates), the diet forces the body to burn fat.

Burning fat produces chemicals called ketones, the same chemicals that are produced during periods of starvation, when the body also burns fat for energy.

The diet consists of three or four times as much fat as carbohydrate and protein combined. Some of the extra fat is given in the form of cream or butter. Calories are strictly limited, and parents have to be very careful not to allow the child to eat anything -- even cookie crumbs -- that isn't on the diet or hasn't been pre-measured and pre-weighed within the formula.

The diet is usually begun in a hospital setting, with a period in which food is withheld. Food is then gradually reintroduced in the ratios required by the diet.

The diet's success depends on a team effort -- the family, the physician, the dietitian, the nurse education team, and, if the child is old enough, the child himself -- all working together to make sure the diet is followed and any side effects are monitored.

Some children find it hard to tolerate, but many do well. Recent research reports that of every three children who begin the diet, one will achieve seizure freedom, or close to it, one will have fewer seizures than before, and one will not benefit from the diet.

Some children with excellent results may be able to slowly discontinue medication; however, other children will continue to need some medication in addition to the diet.

WARNING: The ketogenic diet is serious medicine. It is not a do-it-yourself diet. It could have serious effects if not monitored by a physician and dietitian.