according to epilepsy toronto , when a child is diagnosed, most parents feel alone and often question whether they could have done something to prevent seizures. parents worry about whether their child will respond well to treatment and how they’ll adjust to their new reality. they also worry about the potential side effects of medications and the impact of missing school due medical appointments.
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elizabeth donner, pediatric neurologist at the hospital for sick children treats children with medication and surgery, and in cases of more complex epilepsy – with a low carb, high-protein and high-fat ketogenic diet. she says this type of treatment can bring on more fear for parents as they worry about their child’s ability to adapt to and stick with the highly-restrictive regimen.
in an ongoing study funded by the ontario brain institute , donner is tracking the challenging trajectory of starting a ketogenic diet and its affect on families. the findings will help inform how families can be best supported in their epilepsy experience.
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dr. taufik valiante, neurosurgeon and director of the surgical epilepsy program at the krembil brain institute and associate professor of neurosurgery at the university of toronto is breaking new ground in epilepsy research. valiante is working to develop an electronic device that can be implanted in the brain to recognize, predict and prevent seizures from happening in the first place. the implant would offer an alternative to surgery, which involves removing a part of the brain that triggers seizures. currently, 30 per cent of those living with epilepsy need surgery to manage their condition.
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