Ketogenic Therapies Clinic
The Ketogenic Therapies Clinic at the Dell Children’s Comprehensive Epilepsy Center is a multidisciplinary clinic within UT Health Austin Pediatric Neurosciences at Dell Children’s, a clinical partnership between Dell Children’s Medical Center and UT Health Austin.
Ketogenic Therapies Clinic uses diet therapy to treat epilepsy and some metabolic conditions in infants, children, and adolescents. We work closely with our families to determine the most achievable and therapeutic ketogenic therapy option for your child and family.
Many answers to the questions you have can be found below.
Ketogenic Therapies
The classic ketogenic diet is the highest strength of the ketogenic diet. It was developed in the early 1920s by physicians who realized that fasting helped reduce seizures. The diet may also improve cognition and behavior. The classic ketogenic diet consists of 90% of calories from fat, 6% from protein, and 4% from carbohydrates. This breakdown of calories calculates to a 4:1 ratio of grams of fat compared with grams of protein and carbohydrates combined. This combination of fat, protein, and carbohydrates creates a state of ketosis—when your body starts using fat instead of carbohydrates for energy.
The classic ketogenic diet is individualized for each child based on their nutritional needs. It is developed by a ketogenic dietitian who creates meal plans in which the food is weighed using a food scale for best results. The ratio of fat, protein, and carbohydrates can be increased or decreased as needed to improve results.
The modified ketogenic diet is a reduced strength of the classic ketogenic diet. The modified version is less restrictive and uses lower ratios of fat to protein and carbohydrates (3:1, 2:1, or 1:1). Because these diets are lower in fat, they allow more protein and carbohydrates to be incorporated into your child’s diet. Food is also measured using a food scale.
The modified Atkins diet (MAD) is a less restrictive diet than the traditional ketogenic diet. Studies have shown that the MAD helps control seizures in almost half of patients. The diet limits carbohydrates, encourages fat, and allows adequate protein. Patients will be taught how to track daily carbohydrate consumption. Food does not need to be weighed on this diet, but portions can be measured using household measurements (such as in tablespoons or cups) or a food scale depending on preference. The flexibility of this diet allows patients to eat at restaurants, at school, at social gatherings, and on-the-go more easily. The MAD does not require a hospital stay but does require close medical supervision to ensure your child’s safety.
The most flexible ketogenic diet option, LGIT is a high-fat, reduced-carbohydrate diet. Carbohydrate choices are based on the glycemic index (GI), which refers to how carbohydrate foods affect blood sugar levels. GI values range from 1-100. Carbohydrates that take longer to digest (or convert to glucose more slowly) have a lower GI. Whole grain and high-fiber foods are examples of carbohydrates with a lower GI value. Carbohydrate choices with a higher sugar content, such as juice and white rice, are digested and used quickly by the body, so they have a higher GI value. Meals on the LGIT are balanced with protein, fat, and carbohydrates and have a GI of less than 50. Food does not need to be weighed on this diet, but portions can be measured using household measurements or a food scale depending on preference.