Seizure disorder is a term used to describe abnormal discharges of electrical energy in the brain that temporarily disrupt normal brain functions. These discharges have a number of potential causes, including epilepsy, temporary conditions such as metabolic imbalances and drug toxicity or withdrawal, and the after effects of a tumor or stroke. In cases where seizures are caused by epilepsy, dietary choices may help diminish or prevent the onset of symptoms.
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Ketogenic Diet
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If your child suffers from epilepsy, the best dietary option for control of symptoms is probably a high-fat, low-carbohydrate approach called the ketogenic diet. The goal of this diet is to encourage your child's body to burn fat for energy instead of carbohydrates, which supply the body with glucose. Although researchers do not yet understand why, forcing this shift in your child's energy supply can diminish or prevent the occurrence of seizures. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, one-third of children who strictly follow a ketogenic diet experience a substantial drop in the number of seizures. Another one-third of children experience a dramatic drop in their seizures, or stop experiencing seizures altogether.
In order for your child to benefit from a ketogenic diet, you will need to treat it as seriously as you would a prescription medication. For this reason, the diet is typically undertaken with a doctor's close supervision and advice. At the beginning of the diet, your child will undergo a 24-hour fasting period that forces him to use up all of the glucose in his body and start burning fat for energy. Once this fat-burning state is achieved, it is maintained by creating a daily diet in which 80 percent of your child's calories come from fat. The remaining 20 percent of calories will come from proteins and carbohydrates.
The Mayo Clinic has created a sample ketogenic diet for a child with a daily intake of 2000 calories. It includes 9 tbsp. of butter or oil, 6 oz. of heavy whipping cream, 3 oz. of meat and 3 oz. of vegetables. Your child's doctor may prescribe a similar program, or an altered version tailored to your child's weight, gender and age. Typically, your child's access to fruits, grains or most forms of dairy products will be severely limited.
Potential Diet Side Effects
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Eating a ketogenic diet carries risks that may be as serious as those found with use of medication. Potential risks include constipation, dehydration, delayed growth rates, uric acid buildup and the development of gallstones or kidney stones. You can help avoid these symptoms by relaying any changes in your child's condition to his doctor as soon as they occur.
Additional Considerations
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Usually, your child will continue taking epilepsy medications while on a ketogenic diet. If the diet is effective, his medication amounts may be lowered at some point. If your child becomes seizure-free, the diet may be discontinued.
Adults with epilepsy may also eat a ketogenic diet, or follow a low-carbohydrate approach like that found in the Atkins diet. Consult your doctor for more information on these dietary options.
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