# Unusual Case of Narcolepsy-Cataplexy on a Five-year-old Girl

**URL:** https://forum.livingwithnarcolepsy.org/t/unusual-case-of-narcolepsy-cataplexy-on-a-five-year-old-girl/454
**Category:** Blog
**Created:** [August 25, 2012, 10:55am UTC](https://forum.livingwithnarcolepsy.org/t/unusual-case-of-narcolepsy-cataplexy-on-a-five-year-old-girl/454 "2012-08-25T10:55:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Armando\_A](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.livingwithnarcolepsy.org/armando_a/32/5_2.png) [@Armando\_A](https://forum.livingwithnarcolepsy.org/u/Armando_A)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2012, 10:55am UTC](https://forum.livingwithnarcolepsy.org/t/unusual-case-of-narcolepsy-cataplexy-on-a-five-year-old-girl/454/1 "2012-08-25T10:55:49Z")

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Makenna is just like any other kid we know--curious, active and fun-loving. Here she is leading a Walk for Narcolepsy earlier this summer. Her banner reads "Don't mess with my sleep!"

![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/ben_narcolepsy/original/1X/feb107e7dc0ed7383897d6d92041f04e889d8f17.jpg)  
She's just like every other kid, alright, except for some very peculiar traits.

There are times when this this five-year-old would be giggling incessantly and then suddenly become very weak and fall motionless on the floor. She is often tired, needing some extra sleep during the day.

Her parents, Ian and Christine Thomas, thought these were just after effects of a previous bout with pneumonia - until their elder daughter, Morgan, asked: "Why does she look like she’s DYING when she laughs?"

That should be enough to send shivers down their spines and had Makenna checked. Before long, it was found that Makenna suffers from narcolepsy and cataplexy, a sleep disorder and a sudden loss of muscle strength triggered by strong emotions.

Read more about her story on this link. [http://www.niagarathisweek.com/community/article/1477879--laughing-till-she-falls](http://www.niagarathisweek.com/community/article/1477879--laughing-till-she-falls)

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### Author: ![copingwithnarcolepsy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.livingwithnarcolepsy.org/copingwithnarcolepsy/32/20_2.png) [@copingwithnarcolepsy](https://forum.livingwithnarcolepsy.org/u/copingwithnarcolepsy)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2012, 12:03am UTC](https://forum.livingwithnarcolepsy.org/t/unusual-case-of-narcolepsy-cataplexy-on-a-five-year-old-girl/454/2 "2012-08-31T00:03:52Z")

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Thank you this story, Armando! I feel so sad for this girl because so much more research is needed to investigate new therapies and medications. The article touches on the stigma attached to the illness which I thought was important. Many obstacles to overcome for little Makenna; I would love to talk with her. Kathleen