Efficacy of Treating Post-Traumatic Epilepsy in Children With Ketogenic Diet

Abstract

Objective

To investigate the efficacy of ketogenic diet for seizure control in a cohort of children with post-traumatic epilepsy.

Methods

We performed a retrospective chart review of patients who sustained traumatic brain injury (TBI) and were subsequently evaluated at the Children's Hospital of Atlanta ketogenic program for the treatment of post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) from January 2010 to December 2024.

Results

In this study, we analysed 13 children with PTE who were maintained on a ketogenic diet for at least 3 months. Ten of the participants were male. The mean age at diet initiation was 5 years 1 month (range 2 years 1 month to 12 years 9 months). The median duration of seizure occurrence before ketogenic diet initiation was 2 years (range 1-8 years). Many patients hadd non-accidental trauma with severe TBI (11/13). The rate of response to ketogenic diet treatment for PTE was 69% (9/13).

Conclusion

This study provides class IV evidence that ketogenic diet is an effective treatment strategy to reduce seizure burden in children with PTE.