More than eight months ago, Troy and Kristine Irvine got the surprise of their life. Their 4-year-old son, Max, who was diagnosed with myoclonic astatic epilepsy, stopped having seizures.

He hasn’t had one since.

“We truly believe that God has helped heal him,” Kristine said.

Born March 2, 2005, Max was a healthy child except for a few ear infections and food allergies.

But then on Sept. 22, 2007, while getting ready for a weekly visit to the Albert Lea Farmers Market, he had his first seizure. Two weeks later, the seizures started getting progressively worse.

He would have three different kinds of seizures — tonic-clonic seizures, also known as grand mal seizures, myoclonic seizures and atonic seizures, also known as drop seizures.

Eventually his epilepsy progressed to the point that he was unable to walk, talk, chew his food or event sit up on his own. He was having hundreds of seizures a day, the parents said.

Over a 15-month period, the family attempted six different anti-seizure medications as treatment along with the special ketogenic diet — a high fat, moderate protein and low carbohydrate diet, which has shown to help two out of three children who have hard-to-control epilepsy.

The diet showed some improvement in Max; however, it wasn’t until Max dropped the multiple medications that the seizures stopped altogether.

Kristine said she and Troy discovered that there was a certain pattern throughout the day to when the seizures would happen — about two or three hours after Max took the medicine.

They had talked to other parents in support groups online, who encouraged the family to take Max off of his medication.

“We thought, ‘We’re not going to go through our life, and not at least try it,” Troy said.

Max’s doctor actually wanted to try some other alternatives, but the parents told her they wanted to attempt ending the medicine, the couple said.

“It was scary to take that leap of faith and have the diet by itself,” Kristine said.

Max took his last pill Nov. 23, 2008, and he started talking and walking the next day. By Thanksgiving, he was trying to create sentences and run again, the mother said.

He loves singing, running and playing with trucks. He now smiles every day.

The doctor says that within the next four to six months, the family can actually start to lower and then eventually take Max off the ketogenic diet, Troy said.

Though Max still has a little catching up to do, he is making progress every day, the parents said.

Looking to the future, the Irvines said they feel strongly about finding a cure for epilepsy and supporting families who are in similar situations.

They’re taking part in the 2009 Stroll for Epilepsy in Rochester on Aug. 13, with a goal of raising $5,000. All money raised goes to the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota.

Also, with the help of Mayo Clinic doctors and dietitians and the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota, the family is setting up a mentoring program for families considering the ketogenic diet as treatment. The mentoring program is being named “Max’s Miracle.”

Anyone interested in making a donation or finding out more about the ketogenic diet can contact the Irvines by phone at 383-1996. Donations can be made online at www.firstgiving.com/maxirvine or by mail at 203 Glenn Road, Albert Lea.