CHESAPEAKE -- The only time 12-year-old Lauren Johnson stops sneezing is when she finally falls asleep each night.
Otherwise, she sneezes as many as 16 times a minute and no doctor has been able to explain why.
The non-stop sneezing began a week ago as the Chesapeake girl began to recover from a cold.
Her mother, Lynn Johnson, has spent the past week going to a variety of doctors looking for a diagnosis and relief for her daughter.
Lauren sneezes as she sits with her mother at their home.
"Life for her has stopped," Ms. Johnson said.
Even a hypnotist couldn’t stop the sneezes.
Doctors at Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters are working on the case, but a diagnosis remains elusive.
Lauren has not been able to go to school and has difficulty eating between the sneezes.
"The hard part is missing school and when people stare," Lauren said.
Ms. Johnson hopes telling her daughter's story will help find a specialist who knows how to treat her daughter's condition.
skrogers said on November 10, 2009 at 6:19 AM
Lauren needs to learn how to cover her sneezes.
kellyputz said on November 10, 2009 at 9:44 AM
Really skrogers? That is all you have to say?! Didn't your parents teach you that if you don't have anything nice to say, to not say anything at all?! This poor kid is suffering and that is the only input you have. Get a clue and then get a life.
rjmattie said on November 10, 2009 at 10:21 AM
Please contact the medical community outside of this area. Hampton Roads is known for its poor medical community. As a matter of fact, I travel to Pittsburgh just to see my doctors although I live in the area. Contact the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and take her there. You wont get much help around here. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
puterma said on November 10, 2009 at 12:24 PM
My thoughts are with this family. I am just curious.......they have several cages of kitty cats in the room and she is holding one during the newscast? Allergies can be tricky.
cobia23 said on November 10, 2009 at 12:59 PM
You might want to look into P.A.N.D.A.S syndrome on the internet. "Tics" sometimes develop after a strep infection. I know they said she had a cold prior to this. My son developed tics this way. I thought her movements looked like it could be a tic not a sneeze.
momamia said on November 11, 2009 at 10:22 PM
When I saw this on the news my first inclination was tics. CHKD is great. My son actually has Tourettes---his beginning was a cough that sounded horrible-we did the ER thing, Dr's, Dr's, Specialists, Specialists, it was CONSTANT he could barely breathe between coughs. The only relief was when he finally could sleep--sleeping was the ONLY time he didn't cough. You can have Tics (and not Tourettes, or Tourettte's. If a Neurologist has not been seen might be worth it. Praying you find out soon and get some relief.