Keto-Kickstart is a volunteer run program that treats children with drug resistant forms of epilepsy. This occurs when the child has failed to become (and stay) seizure free with trials of anti-seizure medications (ASMs). Keto-Kickstart provides these children with treatment in the form of a diet that controls the child’s seizures and has yielded amazing results.
 
The program provides OHAUS gram scales to patients enrolled in the Ketogenic Dietary Treatment Program at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). CHOP’s program is the world’s largest of its kind. The Keto family takes a team approach to establish a child's ketogenic diet plan, with expert input from neurologists, dietitians, skilled nursing staff and social workers.

OHAUS Compass CX and Compass CR portable scales are used to weigh food to the 1/10^th of a gram. This is an essential step for following the Ketogenic diet. The diet is proven to change the body’s chemistry in ways that greatly help control seizures. The Ketogenic diet is a treatment option for those kids with epilepsy who are not successfully treated with medication and are not candidates for surgery.

This very high-fat diet produces amazing results, the diet provides adequate protein and includes very small amounts of carbohydrates. This macronutrient composition changes the metabolism of the body. Approximately 2/3 of children have a greater than 50% reduction in seizures, and up to 25% can become seizure free. With more than 170 children actively enrolled in the Ketogenic Diet Program, CHOP has treated over 900, and currently admits 40 to 50 new children and adolescents to begin treatment every year.

Keto-Kickstart ensures medically qualified patients can participate in this life-saving program. In 2022, OHAUS donated 50 Compass CR 221 scales to Keto-Kickstart. Those scales were then distributed to families following admission for Keto induction. The program aims to provide keto families with the necessary tools and ingredients needed to create their very own “Keto Kitchen” at home.
 
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Keto Kitchen is a teaching kitchen where parents and caregivers of children in our program can learn to prepare the foods their child will need when following a dietary treatment for epilepsy and neurological disorders. CHOP’s Keto Kitchen became the first of its kind in 2013. In the Keto Kitchen, you will learn creative cooking techniques and practice preparing recipes for your child’s prescribed diet plan. The Dietary Treatment Program team teaches the skills needed to follow a high-fat diet at home and make it a part of everyday life.



CHOP’s Keto team works tirelessly to provide families with the medical and emotional support necessary beyond hospital admission. However, there is no funding available to purchase essential Keto-kitchen basic. Consequently, many families leave the hospital with limited supplies, scrambling to find products that are crucial to maintaining ketosis and seizure control. Sadly, this is just the start of the challenges families face when their child begins their medical ketogenic regimen. The Ketogenic diet is more than just a diet, it is a lifestyle, and not an easy one to bear. Food can no longer be used for comfort, a reward, or a social connection. Keto life is tough for the family, child, and caregivers. Many of these families go through a huge lifestyle shift making this high-fat diet a part of their child’s everyday life. 

Keto-Kickstart is a win for all participants. OHAUS scales have stood the test of time and remain the most qualified scale for CHOP’s specialized program. Many other less expensive scales have been tested but failed to meet the standard required for such treatment requiring great precision and reliability.

Learn More about Keto Kickstart and the Dietary Treatment Program by Clicking Here. 

Learn More about OHAUS Portable Scales by Clicking Here.