She sneezes 12,000 times a day, even in her dreams
Whether due to a cold or allergies, sneezing fits are moments beyond our control. But Katelyn Thornley's situation is somewhat different... She struggles in all aspects of life because she can't stop sneezing, even doing so in her dreams at night.
cumhuriyet.com.trKatelyn's condition was first noticed when she was 12 years old, in Texas, USA, as she started sneezing suddenly after leaving a clarinet class at school. However, these episodes were much shorter compared to what she experiences now.
Initially, Katelyn's family thought it might be an allergic reaction or that her nose was irritated by something and would soon stop. But it never did.
The young girl's condition worsened over time, and she began to sneeze up to 20 times a minute. This amounts to sneezing 12,000 times a day.
Due to this condition, Katelyn had to quit school.
Her mother, Erika Hodges, told the press: "She can't go to school, can't do anything normal. She can't eat, can't drink when she needs to. It affects everything."
Healthcare workers at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston tried to understand this astonishing sneezing phenomenon and its cause but were baffled by this unique case.
Record: 976 days
After Katelyn's story became public, she visited six doctors, but none could cure her condition. Her family, meanwhile, grew increasingly worried about their daughter's endless sneezing. Her father, Travis, recalled an instance when Katelyn sneezed continuously for 45 minutes. According to the Guinness World Records, the longest sneezing fit lasted 976 days.