Even if you are not currently considering the Atkins for Seizures diet for your child, you will find this book insightful. I felt like a friend was recounting issues of parenthood as they sat beside me. I do not personally know a parent who has gone through what we have with Rose, so this book was a comfort. I think any parent can glean some valuable wisdom from the authors words.
Diet for Seizures: One Child’s Journey by Michael J Koski details the events leading up to and going through his daughter being part of a study on the modified Atkins diet by Johns Hopkins. Brooklyn was seven when her food was drastically altered to reach ketosis. I felt her mother’s pain at having to prepare special food for her young daughter and cook for a husband and another child while still breast feeding a baby. Sounds stressful and overwhelming.
The book was published in 2013. Our family was deep in the struggles with seizures at that point. Having this to read would have made me feel less lonely as Rose’s mother. As a high schooler, Rose met with a dietitian about going on a similar program, but chose not to try it.
I would still have appreciated reading Michael J. Koski’s stories about seizures and medical events and his concerns as a parent about Brooklyn’s emotional well-being. Mr. Koski gives an honest view of the worries parents have when a child has to be treated differently because of a medical condition. I admire how he and his wife tried to help Brooklyn not feel singled out because of her “diet.”
The book also contains many links to resources that may be helpful to you. There are stories about other folks dealing with epilepsy at the back of the book.
I underlined and circled something on almost every page of my copy. I wrote “YEP!” in the margins quite a bit. I am grateful to this family for taking their time to share their experience to help others.
This book gets a 10!
Flower Roberts
Seizure Mama and Rose 