Ketogenic diet for epilepsy

The ketogenic diet is one treatment option for children or adults with epilepsy whose seizures are not controlled with anti-seizure medications (ASMs). The diet may help to reduce the number or severity of seizures and may have other positive effects. Up to 70% of people with epilepsy could have their seizures controlled with What is the ketogenic diet? The ketogenic diet (KD) is a high fat, low carbohydrate, controlled protein diet that has been used since the 1920s for the treatment of epilepsy. The diet is a medical treatment and is usually only considered when at least two suitable medications have been tried and not worked. The ketogenic diet is an established treatment option for children with hard to control epilepsy. However, adults may also benefit from dietary treatments. Dietary treatments for epilepsy must only be followed with the support of an experienced epilepsy specialist and dietitian (food specialist). How does the diet work? Usually the body uses glucose (a form of sugar) from carbohydrates (found in foods like sugar, bread or pasta) for its energy source. Chemicals called ketones are made when the body uses fat for energy (this is called ‘ketosis’). With the ketogenic diet, the body mostly uses ketones instead of glucose for its energy source. Research has shown that a particular fatty acid, decanoic acid, may be involved in the way the diet works. Who is the diet suitable for? The diet may not work for everyone but is suitable for many different seizu...

One of the oldest treatments for ketogenic diet, which involves consuming high-fat foods and very few carbohydrates. Johns Hopkins is a longstanding pioneer in this mode of therapy. In order to be successful, this therapy calls for strict compliance and plenty of patience, especially in the beginning. Most important, patients with epilepsy should only use the diet with the support of a knowledgeable ketogenic diet team, including a doctor and a licensed dietitian who can correctly calculate and monitor the diet for each individual. Ketogenic Diet for Epilepsy: Why Choose Johns Hopkins As a patient, you benefit from the support of our highly skilled dietitians and neurologists who work together and customize the diets to fit your health goals and lifestyle. • The pediatric epilepsy team at Johns Hopkins has almost 100 years of experience in treating epilepsy with the ketogenic diet. • More than 1,500 children have been enrolled in our ketogenic diet program for seizures. • Johns Hopkins developed the modified Atkins dietin 2002 as a treatment for adolescents and adults and opened the world’s first adult epilepsy diet center. For Children: The Pediatric Ketogenic Diet Center The pediatric epilepsy team at Johns Hopkins has used the high fat, low carbohydrate ketogenic diet to address seizures since the diet’s therapeutic origins in the 1920s. We are one of the premiere centers in the world for clinical and research expertise on the ketogenic diet, having treated over 1,500 c...

• Breakfast: Eggs made with heavy cream, cheese, and butter; a small serving of strawberries, pineapple, or cantaloupe • Lunch: Hamburger patty topped with cheese; cooked broccoli, green beans, or carrots with melted butter; whipped heavy cream • Dinner: Grilled chicken breast with cheese and mayonnaise; cooked vegetables with butter; whipped heavy cream • Snacks: Whipped heavy cream, small servings of fruit, sugar-free gelatin Cheating Is Not Advised Unlike weight-loss diets, the occasional cheat day is not recommended when following a keto diet for epilepsy. • Talk to your child: Make sure your child understands the diet and why sticking to it is essential. Let them know they shouldn't trade food with other kids. As hard as it is, they also shouldn't eat food from vending machines or treats handed out in class. • Talk to the school: The teacher, guidance counselor, nurse, and administration all need to be aware of your child's special dietary needs (as well as other health-related matters). You'll want to have regular conversations with them, and you may want to have a • Become a planner: Gather several recipes for appropriate meals that can make convenient, easy-to-pack lunches. If possible, you may want to provide appropriate treats for your child for holiday parties and other special events that you may know about ahead of time. The • Educate family members: It's important that family members and regular caregivers know how to prepare a meal for a child with epilepsy....

The "classic" ketogenic diet is a special high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that helps to control seizures in some people with epilepsy. It is prescribed by a physician and carefully monitored by a dietitian. It is usually used in children with seizures that do not respond to • The name ketogenic means that it produces ketones in the body. (keto = ketone; genic = producing) Ketones are formed when the body uses fat for its source of energy. • Usually the body uses carbohydrates (such as sugar, bread, pasta) for its fuel. Because the ketogenic diet is very low in carbohydrates, fats become the primary fuel instead. The body can work very well on ketones (and fats). • Ketones are not dangerous. They can be detected in the urine, blood, and breath. Ketones are one of the more likely mechanisms of action of the diet, with higher ketone levels often leading to improved seizure control. However, there are many other theories for why the diet will work. • Doctors usually recommend the ketogenic diet for children whose seizures have not responded to several different • The classic diet is usually not recommended for adults, mostly because the restricted food choices make it hard to follow. However, the • Find more • Read an article about • The ketogenic diet has been shown in many studies to be particularly helpful for some epilepsy conditions. These include • Recent studies have also shown that infants can be successfully started on dietary therapy too. • Read an article about the ...

Overview What is the ketogenic diet? The ketogenic diet, or keto diet, is a medical or therapeutic diet — a diet designed to help manage or treat a medical condition. The keto diet is suggested for children with epilepsy that continues despite medication. The keto diet is high in fat, adequate in protein and very low in carbohydrates (carbs). A typical keto diet consists of 70% to 80% fats, 20% proteins and 5% to 10% carbohydrates. What medical conditions may benefit from a keto diet? Doctors typically recommend the keto diet to treat The keto diet has been used in other neurological (brain-related) conditions, including People with What happens in your body when you follow a keto diet? The ketogenic diet resets how your body uses food. Usually, carbohydrates in your diet (like sugars and starches) provide most of the energy. The keto diet lowers the amount of carbs you eat and teaches your body to burn fat for energy instead. Procedure Details What happens when your child starts a ketogenic diet? Starting the keto diet is not a one-step process. Your child will likely be admitted to the hospital for monitoring when the diet begins. The hospital’s ketogenic diet team may include a neurologist, a registered dietitian and a registered nurse. Your child’s ketogenic team will: • First, give your child small amounts of water or sugar-free liquids. • Within 24 hours, begin your child’s new diet. For infants, premixed ready-to-use ketogenic formulas may be used. • Blood sugar wil...

Could the solution to your child's But the super high-fat, super low-carb ketogenic diet is not for everyone. It's strict and complicated. And it's not really "healthy" in the normal sense. If you're considering it, you need to think through how it affects your child's life -- and the impact on the whole family. Who Should Think About Trying the Ketogenic Diet? Some parents of children with But the ketogenic diet is real and legitimate. The catch is that it's demanding and hard to follow. In fact, it is so difficult to follow that most doctors recommend it only for people who haven't been able to control their seizures with medicine. The ketogenic diet has been curbing The diet helps with many Because the ketogenic diet is so demanding, doctors usually only recommend it if a child has already tried two or three medications and they haven't worked. When the diet works, kids can often lower their medication doses or stop taking them. What's more, most kids who stay on the ketogenic diet for at least 2 years have a good chance of becoming seizure free -- even after they go back to eating normally. What Foods Can Your Child Eat? Your child's diet will have a lot of fat. To put it in perspective, in a healthy diet for kids, about 25% to 40% of calories come from fat. In the ketogenic diet, about 80% to 90% of calories come from fat. So your child's meals are loaded with fats while portions of protein and especially carbs are small. In the typical ketogenic diet, kids get three ...