“Despite taking 5 AEDs our 2-year-old son Rudy was having up to 16 different seizures a day. Tests at Great Ormond Street revealed that Rudy was a potential candidate for brain surgery, which terrified us. We felt helpless and full of despair.

At a neurology appointment our consultant suggested the ketogenic diet, and after speaking to another mum about the positive changes the diet had made to her son, we decided to give it a try.

The first 4 months on the diet were horrific. Rudy was unhappy and lethargic, suffered numerous ear infections, and his seizures increased. Then they halved but were far more aggressive, but we persevered and rode the storm. After 7 months on the diet, our dietitian suggested a diet tweak, and we began weaning Rudy’s Phenobarbital. The seizures stopped. Just like that! We continued with the drug wean and Rudy became brighter and brighter and was doing new things. Just before his 3rd birthday Rudy finally sat up unaided – the best Christmas present ever!

It’s hard to put into words the difference this diet has made to our lives. Rudy is still on 2 anticonvulsant meds (which we are slowly weaning) and has extremely complex needs, but not having to deal with the daily grind of seizures and the nasty drug side-effects makes life far easier.

We are so grateful to The Daisy Garland for their recipes, information, research, empathy and encouragement making you feel that you are not alone but part of one big keto family!”