Application of a ketogenic diet in children with autistic behavior: pilot study.

1: J Child Neurol. 2003 Feb;18(2):113-8.

Evangeliou A et al.

A pilot prospective follow-up study of the role of the ketogenic
diet was carried out on 30 children, aged between 4 and 10 years,
with autistic behavior. The diet was applied for 6 months, with
continuous administration for 4 weeks, interrupted by 2-week
diet-free intervals. Seven patients could not tolerate the diet,
whereas five other patients adhered to the diet for 1 to 2 months
and then discontinued it. Of the remaining group who adhered to the
diet, 18 of 30 children (60%), improvement was recorded in several
parameters and in accordance with the Childhood Autism Rating Scale.
Significant improvement (> 12 units of the Childhood Autism Rating
Scale) was recorded in two patients (pre-Scale: 35.00 +/- 1.41[mean
+/- SD]), average improvement (> 8-12 units) in eight patients
(pre-Scale: 41.88 +/- 3.14[mean +/- SD]), and minor improvement (2-8
units) in eight patients (pre-Scale: 45.25 +/- 2.76 [mean +/- SD]).
Although these data are very preliminary, there is some evidence
that the ketogenic diet may be used in autistic behavior as an
additional or alternative therapy.

PMID: 1269377