Childhood Absence Epilepsy Successfully Treated with the Paleolithic Ketogenic Diet

Zsófia Clemens, Anna Kelemen, András Fogarasi, Csaba Tóth

Childhood absence epilepsy is an epilepsy syndrome responding relatively well to the ketogenic diet with one-third of patients becoming seizure-free. Less restrictive variants of the classical ketogenic diet, however, have been shown to confer similar benefits. Beneficial effects of high fat, low-carbohydrate diets are often explained in evolutionary terms. However, the paleolithic diet itself which advocates a return to the human evolutionary diet has not yet been studied in epilepsy. Here, we present a case of a 7-year-old child with absence epilepsy successfully treated with the paleolithic ketogenic diet alone. In addition to seizure freedom achieved within 6 weeks, developmental and behavioral improvements were noted. The child remained seizure-free when subsequently shifted toward a paleolithic diet. It is concluded that the paleolithic ketogenic diet was effective, safe and feasible in the treatment of this case of childhood absence epilepsy.