Thursday, April 16, 2009

Photic Sneeze Reflex

Big Kid has Photic Sneeze Reflex. I recently accidentally came across something on this and was amused to see that there was a name for it.

He sneezes almost every single time he walks out of a dim room into bright light. He has done it since birth--he even sneezed as we first walked out of the hospital with him.

It makes us all laugh every time because it is so predictable.

If I ask him a question as it is about to happen, it stops him from sneezing and leaves him with that awful, unsatisfied, need-to-sneeze feeling, and it's pretty much become a family habit to give Big Kid a minute any time we've stepped into the sun.

I see that there's a support group for it...how bizarre. He'll love that when he's older, little symptom-dramatizer that he is.

17 comments:

Stereos and Souffles said...

Hmmm, I sneeze whenever I eat a mint or drink wine, but only once after a few sips. Luckily not every time I take a sip. Nothing could get between me and my wine.

Piece o' Coconut Cake said...

Since it's genetic and dominant, do either you or Mr. Ashley have it? Any of the grandparents? Do you ask him questions just as you step into the light just to torture him? I think I would...does that make me mean?

Peggy's Place said...

Funny. If I need to sneeze and can't I always look at a bright light and it works.

Unknown said...

I think I have it, but not nearly as bad as he does. If I need to sneeze, I can look into the light to trigger it but that's about it.

I did interrupt a sneeze once just to be funny, but he didn't think it was funny. It does happen on accident a lot.

Steff said...

Our youngest daughter has this, I never realized it had a name... Any bright light makes her sneeze. Even bright headlights from an oncoming car... hopefully she outgrows this, before she starts driving!

Mary said...

My son and I both do this. I have for as long as I can remember. I had no idea there was a name for this! You learn something new every day at Ashley's Closet...

Renee said...

I got a kick out of reading all of the different names for this, including ACHOO Syndrome. If I had this, I would totally refer to it as "Autosomal dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst syndrome". That sounds so serious, doesn't it?

-The Renee

Kira said...

Does he sneeze if you flick on a light too?

Shannon said...

I have a moderate case. I had NO idea it was an actual medical condition. WTH?

katie b said...

That's funny that it has a name! Without fail, I hiccup after every first sip of pop. People have always told me it was in my head, but I think I'm going to google it now!

Funny in My Mind said...

My husband does this every single time we go outside.

Jaime said...

I have this too! And so do my kids. My 2 year old is the worst, though. Can you have varying degrees of it? lol weird!

Joy said...

I can't believe they actually have a name for this!

I do it when I walk outside into the bright sun not every time but alot, I also can look at a light to make myself sneeze. I never knew I had a "condition"

Melodie said...

I have this, too. It is hereditary, and all of my girls have it, too. I've learned to deal with it by preemptively putting on my sunglasses before I walk out into the sun.

Katie said...

I just want to say THANK YOU for comming across this. I have twin 5 year olds and my daughter CONSTANTLY sneezes as soon as she steps out into the sun. I just thought she was a little strange because my son never did it. It is nice to finally know why she does it.. Thank You!!! :o)

M said...

I do the same thing. Without fail, everytime I walk into a brightly lit room or outside.

It's kind of nice when you get something itchy in your nose and have that have to sneeze feeling. Just look up towards the sun or light and instant sneeze.

Support group?? That's hilarious, what in the hell kind of support would you need??

Maddness of Me said...

I wonder if there is a name for how my ex used to spit every time he walked outside, other than jackass. In fact, it's one of the reasons I left him :). First thing I listed on match.com for what I liked is... Guys who don't spit.