What is the keto diet?
If medication isn’t enough to control seizures in epilepsy, doctors sometimes prescribe a ketogenic diet. The ketogenic diet is a strict high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that can reduce, and sometimes even completely stop, seizures.
It is called “ketogenic” because it makes ketones in the body. Ketones are made when the body uses fats for energy. By substituting carbohydrates for fats in the diet, the body burns more fat and makes more ketones.
The ketogenic diet is prescribed by doctors. Children on this type of diet should be closely monitored by a dietitian to make sure they are following it well and getting all the nutrients they need. The diet begins with an overnight fast in a hospital.
Who needs to go on a ketogenic diet?
Children with seizures that cannot be controlled well with medication alone (called intractable epilepsy) or with severe epileptic syndromes (such as infantile spasms or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome) may benefit from following a ketogenic diet.
Studies show that the ketogenic diet can also help treat other conditions, such as diabetes, obesity, and even cancer.
How does the ketogenic diet work?
Although the ketogenic diet has been used to treat epilepsy since the 1920s, doctors aren’t sure how having higher blood ketones works. Some seizure types seem to respond better than others to the ketogenic diet.
In infants, the ketogenic diet is administered through formula milk. Babies a few days or months old can be fed through a small tube that a surgeon inserts into their stomach. This helps the baby to follow the diet.
How long should children follow a ketogenic diet?
You should know if a ketogenic diet works well for your child within a few months. If things go well, your doctor may recommend weaning your child from the diet after two years of seizure control. The withdrawal process is done over several months to prevent epileptic seizures from being triggered.
There are people who maintain a ketogenic diet for years.
Does it involve taking any risk?
The ketogenic diet is a safe treatment for epilepsy in children. Regardless, there are several possible side effects of prolonged use of this diet, such as the following:
- constipation
- kidney stones
- dehydration
- high cholesterol
- growth slowdown
- bone weakness
How can I help my son?
The ketogenic diet is not a fix with quick or easy effects. It can be hard to stick to such a strict diet. To help your child:
- Keep foods you can’t eat out of her sight and reach.
- Have the support of a doctor or dietician.
- Make sure your whole family understands the diet and helps your child stick to it.
Following a ketogenic diet requires regular follow-up visits to the doctor or dietitian. Be sure to attend all scheduled hearings.
In many families, this effort more than pays off with better seizure control and fewer medications.
