New findings recommend a special diet for childhood epilepsy

During the seizure, the child’s hands and feet are spasmodic, convulsive; muscle spasms, contractures.

Children can lose consciousness, control of urinary and anal sphincter.

There can be changes in eye position.

After cessation of seizures, the child may be upset or tired.

Normally, our bodies run on energy from glucose, which we get from food and we can’t store large amounts of glucose-only have about a 24-hour supply.

When a child has no food for 24 hours — which is the way the diet begins, usually in a hospital — he or she uses up all the stored glucose.

With no more glucose to provide energy, the child’s body begins to burn stored fat.

An anti-seizure diet is typically recommended for young adults whose epilepsy has not responded to other treatments. Adults may not use this diet as effectively because they have trouble following it, according to the nonprofit Epilepsy Therapy Project.

Epilepsy has many forms, and not all are effectively treated via an anti-seizure diet. However, infantile spasms, Rett syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome are some of the conditions that seem to respond to an anti-seizure diet.