Keto Diet May Reduce Seizures After Childhood Brain Injury

What was studied

Researchers looked back at medical records from one hospital ketogenic diet program in Atlanta. They studied children who had a traumatic brain injury and were later evaluated for treatment of post-traumatic epilepsy with a ketogenic diet.

The review covered January 2010 through December 2024. It included 13 children who stayed on the diet for at least 3 months. Ten were boys. The mean age when the diet started was 5 years 1 month, and seizures had been happening for a median of 2 years before the diet began. Most of the children had severe traumatic brain injury, and many had non-accidental trauma.

What they found

In this group, 69% of the children (9 out of 13) were reported to respond to ketogenic diet treatment for post-traumatic epilepsy. The authors concluded that this study provides class IV evidence that ketogenic diet may be an effective treatment strategy to reduce seizure burden in children with post-traumatic epilepsy.

Limits of the evidence

This was a small, retrospective chart review from a single center, so it cannot show for certain that the ketogenic diet caused the improvement. There was no comparison group, and the abstract does not say exactly how "response" was defined or how much seizures improved. The group was mostly children with severe traumatic brain injury, many with non-accidental trauma, so the results may not apply to all children with post-traumatic epilepsy.

For families and caregivers

This study suggests the ketogenic diet may be an option to discuss for a child with post-traumatic epilepsy. But the evidence here is limited, so families should not assume it will work for every child or know from this study how large the benefit might be.

What to watch next

Larger studies with clear seizure outcomes and a comparison group would help clarify how well ketogenic diet works in children with post-traumatic epilepsy. Families can ask a clinician whether ketogenic diet is appropriate and how benefits and side effects would be monitored.

Terms in this summary

post-traumatic epilepsy

Epilepsy that develops after a head or brain injury.

ketogenic diet

A high-fat, very low-carbohydrate medical diet used to help control seizures in some people with epilepsy.

traumatic brain injury

Damage to the brain caused by an external force.

retrospective chart review

A study that looks back at existing medical records rather than assigning treatments in real time.

seizure burden

The overall impact of seizures, such as how often they happen.

class IV evidence

A weaker level of medical evidence, often based on case series or chart reviews rather than controlled trials.