Here is a sample letter you can adapt to submit to your school nurse to make your child’s adherence to the ketogenic diet go as smoothly as possible:


Mrs. Povanda, Bryce is on the ketogenic diet to control his seizures. We call it his “magic diet” since it makes his seizures “disappear.” He has been on it for one year, and we are thankful that he has been seizure free for almost one year. The diet is very strict and limited in calories. I must calculate a recipe for every meal and then weigh it exactly on a gram scale. Bryce cannot have anything to eat or drink other than water (in addition to what I send). Even some drinks (and suntan lotions, toothpastes, etc.) that say sugar-free actually have sugar in them and can cause Bryce to have a seizure.

Unfortunately, the world we live in centers around food. This is one of the greatest challenges for Bryce and me. He does take ownership in his diet, and understands that if he cheats, he may have a seizure. I am hopeful he’ll do well in kindergarten with those issues. I have become very creative and can reproduce many kid-type foods like magic pizza, magic muffins, etc. If there will be some special occasion and I know ahead of time, I can usually make something for Bryce that will allow him to feel included.

Please feel free to tell his classmates, if needed, about his “magic diet.” We are open and forthright about Bryce’s seizures and his diet. This may be needed, if you notice other children offering Bryce their food, as an example.

Bryce really is doing well and is just like any other kid now. He needs help to scrape his bowls/plates when he’s finished, because the diet is very exact and only works if he gets every last drop. That’s about all the special attention he needs, however, and otherwise will be just one of the class.

Please feel free to call me at work or at home if you have any questions at any time.

Thank you! We look forward to a wonderful year!

PIZZA WITH PEPPERONI Hunt’s® tomato sauce: 10 grams Planters® macadamia nuts, ground: 15 grams Eggbeaters®: 19.3 grams Hormel® beef pepperoni, sliced into eights: 2 grams (1 slice) Heluva Good!® sharp cheddar cheese, grated: 12 grams Canola oil (for crust): 7.5 grams Canola oil (for sauce): 4.1 grams Italian seasoning: small pinch Crust: Mix eggbeaters, macadamia nuts and oil in a small mixing bowl with one mixer. Pour into nonstick skillet sprayed with Pam® and brown each side. Transfer onto a paper plate. Topping: Mix oil, tomato sauce and small pinch of Italian seasoning in a small container (I use the plastic cups from Crystal Light® mix). Spread on pizza, trying to keep the oil from running off the sides. Top with grated cheese and pepperoni. Hint: These can be mass produced ahead of time. I place a piece of wax paper on top of the finished pizza once it cools, then place 5-6 pizzas on top of one another in a larger freezer bag. Then at meal time, just remove from freezer, remove the wax paper and microwave for 30-60 seconds, or until cheese melts. This pizza looks very similar to a personal pan pizza. It can actually be cut into quarters and picked up to eat. Of course, the toppings can be varied as long as they are calculated into the meal. You can vary this recipe to include any pizza toppings that your child loves!