Modified Atkins diet helps children with rare form of epilepsy

epilepsy
Generalized 3 Hz spike and wave discharges in a child with childhood absence epilepsy. Credit: Wikipedia.

Doose syndrome or myoclonic-astatic epilepsy is a rare syndrome accounting for one to two percent of childhood epilepsies. A ketogenic diet, which is low in carbohydrates and high in fat, is an effective treatment, but it is very restrictive and difficult to follow.

In a recent study, 25 of 30 children (83 percent) with Doose syndrome who followed a modified Atkins Diet experienced a seizure reduction of at least 50 percent and 14 of 30 children (47 percent) were seizure-free.

"Toddlers are always very choosy for their food, so the modified Atkins Diet is a good choice for families with a child suffering from a Doose syndrome, as shown by our study: less restrictive than the classical ketogenic , easier to calculate, to cook, and having an optimal responder rate regarding seizure reduction as well," said Dr. Adelheid Wiemer-Kruel, lead author of the Epilepsia study.

More information: Adelheid Wiemer-Kruel et al, Modified Atkins diet is an effective treatment for children with Doose syndrome, Epilepsia (2017). DOI: 10.1111/epi.13701

Journal information: Epilepsia
Provided by Wiley
Citation: Modified Atkins diet helps children with rare form of epilepsy (2017, February 23) retrieved 28 March 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-02-atkins-diet-children-rare-epilepsy.html
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