Diet Provides Miracle Cure for Child With Epilepsy

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Diet Provides Miracle Cure for Child With Epilepsy

ALBERT LEA, Minn.- Each year, 120,000 children seek medical attention because of

a first or newly diagnosed seizure.

Of these children, about 37,000 go on to develop recurring seizures or epilepsy.

Troy and e Irvine's son max experienced his first seizure three years

ago.

Epilepsy can strike at any time in a person’s life, but nearly one third of

those affected by the condition are under the age of 18.

Max Irvine experienced his first seizure at the age of two. After desperately

searching for a cure, his parents discovered a treatment they're describing as a

miracle.

Today Max is running, talking, and playing just like he was three years ago.

" He was very smiley happy talkative, kind of social, loved music, just easy

going, really easy going, " e said.

In October of 2007, that all changed when he started suffering from seizures.

" He was having hundreds of seizures per day, couldn't walk or talk, we were

losing him, at that point in time so we really had to do something, " said Troy.

The Irvine’s first turned to medical experts at the Mayo Clinic who started him

on medications, but even the strong prescription drugs couldn't stop the

seizures and the combination was debilitating.

" It got to the point where he was just lying on the couch could barely even chew

his food, " said Troy.

Hoping for a better life for their son they consulted the top epilepsy doctor in

the twin cities. He gave the family a grim response.

" He said I'm sorry Mom and Dad, but your son is going to be mentally challenged

he might be in a wheel chair, " remembers Troy.

" You're going to lose your child and of course I was crying and his reaction

was, I should be because this is going to be a tough life for him and a long

road ahead of you, " said e.

Devastated with the prognosis they got in the twin cities the Irvine's returned

to the Mayo Clinic hoping for a miracle.

They met with Dr. Elain Wirrell, a Pediatric Epileptologist. She recommended the

family try the Ketogenic Diet.

" Clearly he had been on a couple of medicines that were not working and we know

that with that story the chance of adding further medicines in that are going to

have any is very low, and we also know the Ketogenic Diet is highly effective, "

said Wirrell.

The Ketogenic Diet is carefully measured, with a low amount of carbohydrates and

a high amount of fat, essentially just enough for the child to grow.

e soon became an expert in “Keto”-friendly cuisine.

" Here's a chicken meal, hot dog, this is a waffle made with almond flour, and so

it looks like a waffle, but it's low in carbs, " she said displaying some of the

families pre made meals for Max.

Wirrell says doctors still aren't certain how it actually works, and says it

comes with a certain amount of risk.

" There are some side effects, it's not for everybody and so there are some

different causes for seizures different metabolic conditions which would make it

very dangerous to use so we have to exclude those possibilities, " said Wirrell.

Wirrell says side effects, like high cholesterol, are easily managed in

children.

The family was amazed at the diet's immediate effect.

" The Personality was better he was focusing, he could sit and read a book

again, " said e.

Soon they wondered if the diet alone could be the solution to stopping Max's

seizures.

So they asked doctor Wirrell for permission to wean Max off the drugs.

" We took away half that day and three days later I looked at e in the

morning I said I don't want to give this to him anymore what do you think and

she said let’s stop it and we did and that night he started talking and the next

day he started walking,” said Troy.

" I remember just laying with him in his bed just sobbing because he was talking

I couldn't believe he talked again, " said e.

For more than a year now, Max has been seizure free. He's currently catching up

to the kids in his class. The Irvine’s hope to one day take him off the diet

completely, and they want the world to know about their success with Keto.

" Our passion is to let other families know that this is doable in your life, you

can still go out to eat and still go to birthday parties and make Keto friendly

cupcakes, " said e.

" It's hard, it takes a lot of time, but it's worth every bit of work that we've

done to help bring him back, " said Troy.

" The diet has really been the miracle that we had prayed for, " said e.

Doctor Wirrell says the Ketogenic diet is often thought of as a last resort when

treating epilepsy.

Both she and the Irvine’s believe it should be considered much earlier. That's

why they want to spread the word to other families who are experiencing the

condition.

As for Max, Wirrell and his parents say he should eventually outgrow his

epilepsy.

Doctors say the Ketogenic Diet is not for everyone. It also requires supervision

from a physician and dietician.

If someone in your family is affected by epilepsy we've linked some useful

resources to this story.

On the right hand side of your screen you'll find a link to the Mayo Clinic's

Epilepsy Foundation and other resources recommended by Dr. Wirrell and the

Irvines.