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The ketogenic diet in childhood epilepsy: where are we now?
  1. J H Cross1,
  2. A Mclellan2,
  3. E G Neal1,
  4. S Philip3,
  5. E Williams4,
  6. R E Williams5
  1. 1Neurosciences Unit, UCL Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital & National Centre for Young People with Epilepsy, London, UK
  2. 2Department of Paediatric Neurosciences, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, UK
  3. 3Department of Paediatric Neurology, Birmingham Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
  4. 4Matthew's Friends & Parent Representative—Ketogenic Diet Professionals Advisory Group (KetoPAG), UK
  5. 5Department of Paediatric Neurology, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
  1. Correspondence to Professor J H Cross, Neurosciences Unit, UCL Institute of Child Health, The Wolfson Centre, Mecklenburgh Square, London WC1N 2AP, UK; hcross{at}ich.ucl.ac.uk

Abstract

The ketogenic diet is a therapeutic dietary treatment for epilepsy in children which is resistant to medication. Until recently, evidence for use and resources available has been sparse. This review aims to provide a summary of the evidence supporting its use in children, some guidance towards its implementation and the services currently available in the UK.

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Footnotes

  • Funding UCL Institute of Child Health received funding as a National Institute for Health & Research Specialist Biomedical Research Centre.

  • Competing interests JHC has received funding from HSA, Smiths Charity, SHS, Matthews Friends and the Milk Development Council for ketogenic diet study; SP has received an honorarium from SHS and RW an educational grant.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.