First, do no harm

Production and year: USA, 1997. Original title: ....First Do No Harm Genre: drama, family Screenplay: Ann Beckett Director: Jim Abrahams Cast: Meryl Streep, Fred Ward, Seth Atkins Medical topic: epilepsy Based on true events, the film tells the story of a happy, loving family—a married couple with three children—over whom the specter of illness looms. Doctors diagnose the youngest child, Robbie, with epilepsy. Despite attempts to treat him with various medications, the boy’s condition worsens: seizures occur more and more frequently. His mother, Lori, quits her job to care for her son. Robbie is hospitalized more and more often. It turns out that the insurance company will not cover the costs of the child’s treatment. Financial problems arise, compounded by the ineffectiveness of subsequent treatments. When doctors suggest considering surgery, Lori seeks an alternative solution. She spends many hours in the library, where she studies books on epilepsy. She comes across a mention of treatment with a special diet, which has proven effective for many children. When she decides to give it a try and take Robbie to a center specializing in this form of treatment, she faces opposition from the doctors currently caring for her son. The ketogenic diet, as depicted in the film, is one of the actual existing treatments for drug-resistant epilepsy. It has also been used in Poland since 2000. Currently, three centers offer ketogenic diet therapy: the Children’s Health Center in Warsaw, the Chorzów Center for Pediatrics and Oncology, and the Upper Silesian Children’s Health Center in Katowice. This diet is based primarily on fats, while limiting carbohydrates and protein. Restricting these nutrients, which are important for a developing body, raises many concerns. Studies indicate the effectiveness of this form of therapy, but there is a lack of controlled clinical trials. The film features individuals who have successfully followed the ketogenic diet, achieving a reduction in epilepsy symptoms, as well as dietitian Millicent Kelly, who has spent many years explaining the principles of the diet to parents of children with epilepsy.