Keto Stories

Jacob’s Story

My sweet Jacob was born in March of 2006. His biological mother was addicted to drugs, so Jacob spent his first 9 days in CPS foster care. His paternal grandparents (in their early 70’s)found him and took him in. Soon after it was apparent that his head, forehead especially, was getting larger every day. At 3 months of age he had surgery for VP shunt placement to resolve the increasing hydrocephalus. Jacob has always been an extremely happy little boy. He absolutely loves music. Anything we need,(meds, shots, bp, bath, meal, etc.) we can get with music. Any kind is good but children singing is his favorite. Jacob developed a little slower than typical, which was contributed to prenatal drug exposure and hydrocephalus. At 10 1/2 months of age he had his first seizure, February 9, 2007. His grandparents had no idea what was coming in the next year. By 15 months of age, Jacob had been on 7 seizure medications, most at the highest dose recommended for a 6 year old, and continued to have multiple seizures daily. When Jacob seized, he went completely floppy, turned blue and vomited. When Jacob was 16 months old he had a cluster of seizures and had to be air-lifted to Children’s Hospital in Dallas. Grandparents stopped counting the seizures at 32 within the first 20 minutes it took to get help. This is the beginning of his Keto journey. At 18 months of age, Jacob had another cluster of seizures. Unfortunately after this second episode Jacob lost all of his abilities (motor and seemingly cognitive). That is when Jacob came into my life. I am the occupational therapist his grandparents sought out after that second cluster. When I met Jacob he was completely floppy and generally unresponsive. Jacob was still on high doses of 5 seizure meds. Grandparents were doing their best with the 3:1 diet plan. Jacob touched my heart the first moment I saw him. Four months into treatment his grandmother asked if I would consider adopting him…AND I SAID YES! Six months later October 2008, he came home with me. He was on 3.5:1 diet plan, and his seizures were down to 3-5 significant episodes weekly. Soon I tried the 3.75 diet plan and was able to get Jacob down to 3 seizure meds with only a few seizures a week. Then on to the 4:1 diet plan and 2 meds. February 9, 2009, less than 2 months into the 4:1 ratio, (and exactly 2 years after his first seizure) Jacob had his last seizure! Jacob enjoys seeing his grandparents (now late 70’s) who play with him almost daily. He loves being rocked by NeNe and strolling with PaPa. Jacob absolutely loves being outside, especially with the wind in his face. Jacob continues to be seizure free in June 2010! He is a very active, social little guy that still loves music. He has such an amazing personality and is developing his own opinions. Jacob continues to struggle with motor skills and cognitive learning, but because of KETO he is communicating with others, playing with toys, has friends….enjoying the life of a seizure free 4 year old!