Children with genetic causes of epilepsy, including Dravet syndrome, were more than five times more likely to have fewer seizures after following a ketogenic diet, known as keto, for one year, according to a new study. Across all types of hard-to-treat epilepsy, nearly three-quarters of patients responded to…

The frequency of seizures decreased substantially for most children with medication-resistant epileptic disorders such as Dravet syndrome at a Chinese center after they were put on the ketogenic diet. It was fairly common for the seizures to reappear after a few months, however. “The findings suggest that the…

Adopting a ketogenic diet — one low in carbohydrates and high in fat — safely and effectively reduces the frequency of seizures and improves cognitive function and behavior in children and adolescents with Dravet syndrome, according to a multicenter study in China. Nearly a third of patients were…

“Have you tried the ketogenic diet?” I’ve been asked this question more times than I can count. When people learn that we tried cannabis therapy with Austen, my 6-year-old with Dravet syndrome, before medications like Onfi (clobazam) and Fintepla (fenfluramine), they always want to know if we have tried…

Managing Dravet syndrome requires a multidisciplinary approach open to both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, because of the severe nature of this disease and its poor prognosis, a review study reports. The study, “Dravet Syndrome: An Overview,” was published in Cureus. Dravet syndrome is a severe type of…

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) occurs more frequently during early evening and is significantly prevented by prolonged use of the ketogenic diet, research in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome (DS) suggests. The reasons why this happens are unclear, and should be examined in more depth by future studies, but…

Contrary to what was previously believed, the ketogenic diet — a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet— did not significantly promote cognition and neuropsychological development in children with Dravet syndrome over time, according to a study. The study, “Efficacy of the ketogenic diet in Chinese children with Dravet syndrome: A focus on…

The ketogenic diet, which is high in fats and low in carbs, helped reduce the frequency of seizures and improve cognitive function in children with Dravet syndrome who are resistant to standard therapies, a small study in China found. The study, “Prospective study of the efficacy of a ketogenic…

A high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet with moderate protein can reduce the frequency of seizures and significantly improve overall health of some children with drug-resistant epileptic syndromes, according to recent research. The study, “Ketogenic diet effects on 52 children with pharmacoresistant epileptic encephalopathy: A clinical prospective study,” was published…

An approved cancer medication was able to reduce average daily seizures by 60 percent in zebrafish and mice with epilepsy. That finding was in an article, “A novel metabolism-based phenotypic drug discovery platform in zebrafish uncovers HDACs 1 and 3 as a potential combined anti-seizure drug target,” that was…