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Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the modified Atkins diet in children with epileptic spasms who had failed hormonal therapy. Methods: Children aged 9 months to 3 years having daily epileptic spasms despite a trial of ACTH or oral prednisolone and 1 additional anticonvulsant medication were enrolled. Children were randomly assigned to receive the modified Atkins diet either immediately or after a delay of 4 weeks. The ongoing anticonvulsant medications were continued unchanged. The primary outcome variable was the proportion of children who achieved spasm freedom as per parental reports at 4 weeks. Secondary outcomes included time to spasm cessation, proportion of children with electroclinical remission, the proportion of children with >50% reduction of spasms at 4 weeks, and adverse effects of the diet. ( ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03807141). Results: A total of 91 children were enrolled in the study; 46 in the diet group and 45 in the control group. At the end of 4 weeks, 11 children in the diet group were spasm free compared with none in the control group ( P ≤ .001). The median time to achieve spasm cessation was 10 days (interquartile range 9-20). Nine of these had resolution of hypsarrhythmia on electroencephalography (EEG). Thirty (65.2%) in the diet group had >50% reduction in spasms, compared with none in the control group ( P < .001). The most common side effect was constipation, noted in 34.8% of the children. Conclusions: The modified Atkins diet was found to be effective and well tolerated in children with epileptic spasms refractory to hormonal therapy.

Objectives:Triclofos may be a better sedative in view of better palatability and less gastric irritation as compared to chloral hydrate. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of triclofos (a commonly used sedative in India) as a sedative for sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) study in children.Methods:This prospective observational study was carried out in a tertiary care pediatric center. Consecutive children aged 6 months to 5 years referred for sleep EEG evaluation were recruited. Their clinical details were noted in a proforma after an informed consent. After a trial for natural sleep, oral triclofos was administered. Sleep parameters and adverse effects were noted.Results:One-hundred and sixty children were then enrolled. EEG was successfully recorded in 149 (93.1%) children. Median latency of sleep onset was 30 min and median duration of sleep was 90 min. The adverse effects in the following 24 h were mild and included dizziness, irritability, and vomiting.Conclusions:Oral triclofos was found to be an effective sedative for EEG in children with minimal adverse effects.

Background:The modified Atkins diet (MAD) has been used predominantly in older children, adolescents, and adults. There is a paucity of data on the use of the MAD in refractory epilepsy in young children.Objectives:This study was planned to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of the MAD in refractory epilepsy in young children.Methods:This study recruited children aged 9 months to 3 years with refractory seizures. Children received MAD for 6-month with the on-going anticonvulsant medications being continued unchanged. Reduction in seizure frequency was the primary outcome measure. Adverse effects were also studied.Results:Thirty-one children with daily seizures were studied with a median age of 18-month (range 9–30 months). West syndrome was the most common epilepsy syndrome (26, 86.6%). Twenty-one children remained on diet at 3 months and 13 at 6 months. The children who achieved >50% seizure reduction were 17 (54.8%) at 3 months and 9 (29%) at 6 months. Refusal to eat was a significant problem seen in eight children. Three children discontinued the diet due to adverse effects.Conclusion:The MAD was found to be feasible, effective, and well-tolerated.