Gemma Atkinson's daughter has epilepsy
Gemma Atkinson's six-year-old daughter has been diagnosed with epilepsy after suffering absence seizures.
Gemma Atkinson's daughter has been diagnosed with epilepsy.
The 40-year-old actress told how six-year-old Mia had been suffering absence seizures - where a person experiences a loss of awareness - and has begun receiving treatment for the brain condition.
Speaking on her Just As Well, The Women's Health Podcast, Gemma said: "It’s interesting the link between the keto diet and brain health because my daughter is under treatment for epilepsy.
"She has the absence seizures, she doesn’t fit or anything, it’s just a stare out and they’ve got so much better, a year in.
"When I was told that I was like, right I need to research, research, research and I went down a rabbit hole. The keto diet was designed for patients with epilepsy because it re wires their brain function."
The Hits Radio presenter was advised to put Mia on a low-carb, high-fat keto diet in a bid to improve her brain health.
Gemma - who has Mia and two-year-old son Thiago with fiance Gorka Marquez - added: "The doctor told me, 'If you can get her on a keto diet, it could help with brain function'.
"The improvement that we’ve had, I mean we’re constantly monitoring but the last six months she’s had none, touch wood.
"The school have reported none, we’ve not seen anything. She has an omelette everyday for breakfast and I put collagen in her yoghurt without her knowing.
"It [keto diet] was given to epilepsy patients back in the day, in the 1930s it was discovered and it really helped all of the symptoms and everything went down.
"But then the doctor who discovered this, his hospital miraculously got burnt down, with all the research and everything."
Just a few months ago, Gemma and Gorka's son was rushed to hospital the night before his and Mia's baptism.
Gemma shared on Instagram: "We had such a busy weekend with a big build-up and lots of organising. A family birthday tea for Mia on Friday, her party for her school friends Saturday, both Mia and Thiagos christening on Sunday and on top of that a trip to A and E with Thiago sat night."
Without stating what was wrong with Thiago, she said: "We were there until 1am Sunday morning and still somehow rocked up to church at 9.30. We were exhausted but we had the best day. He's absolutely fine! But it was a scary few hours and I wanted to say a massive thank you to Bolton hospital children's A and E department, and also the lovely paramedics who took us up there. God bless our NHS!"
