THE KETOGENIC DIET IN THE TREATMENT OF DRUG-RESISTANT PEDIATRIC EPILEPSY

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.0159682617065

• Palavras-chave: Pediatric epilepsy; Ketogenic diet; Drug-resistant epilepsy; Pediatric neurology.

• Keywords: Pediatric epilepsy; Ketogenic diet; Drug-resistant epilepsy; Pediatric neurology.

• Abstract:

          Pediatric epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures, which can impair child development, especially in drug-resistant cases. In these patients, the ketogenic diet has emerged as an important non-pharmacological therapeutic alternative. The objective of this study was to review the scientific literature on the efficacy of the ketogenic diet in the treatment of drug-resistant pediatric epilepsy. The studies analyzed demonstrated a significant reduction in the frequency of epileptic seizures, as well as cognitive and behavioral benefits and an improvement in quality of life. Modalities such as the modified Atkins diet and the low-glycemic-index diet also yielded satisfactory results. It is concluded that the ketogenic diet represents an effective and safe therapeutic strategy for the management of refractory childhood epilepsy.