Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain caused by reoccurring seizures, or brief disruptions in the brain’s normal electrical activity. Symptoms differ with each type and may include loss of consciousness, convulsive jerking, odd sensations, or confusion. A diagnosis of epilepsy requires that the seizures recur two or more times. In some cases, it can be brought on by injuries involving the brain, such as a stroke, cancer, head injury, alcohol abuse, or an infection. The majority of cases of epilepsy are idiopathic, which means that there is no definite cause. About two million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with epilepsy. There are no specific cures for epilepsy, but in some cases the seizures decrease or stop over time. Epileptic seizures can be prevented or reduced with surgeries, electrical stimulation, the …show more content…
Ketosis is held in the hospital, and the diet can be maintained for years. Changes in the diet over the years have made it more palatable. More than half of children experience seizure control and benefits may persist after the diet is terminated. Diet restrictions may not be necessary, and some patients achieve benefits from fewer restrictions, such as with the Atkins diet (Engel). The ketogenic diet (KD) is a high fat, low carbohydrate, restricted protein diet that was initially formed in the 1920’s as a treatment for refractory epilepsy. With the discovery of phenytoin and sodium valproate, the use of KD markedly declined as it was considered difficult and disgusting. However, over the last fifteen years there has been a comeback in the use of KD in refractory childhood epilepsy. New modifications of the diet are starting to be used, such as the modified Atkins diet and the low glycemic index treatment. However, there is not a lot of acceptability of KD as a treatment for epilepsy among pediatricians and neurologists (Sharma, Suvasini, and