When 15-year-old Louisa Ball takes a nap, she sleeps for days on end, and no amount of shaking can fully wake her up.
When
15-year-old
Louisa
Ball
takes
a
nap
,
she
sleeps
for
days
on
end
,
and
no
amount
of
shaking
can
fully
wake
her
up
.
The British girl has a rare condition called Sleeping Beauty Sickness.
The
British
girl
has
a
rare
condition
called
Sleeping
Beauty
Sickness
.
Doctors don't know what causes it or how to cure it--only know that it strikes teenagers and goes away by itself after eight to 12 years.
Doctors
do
n't
know
what
causes
it
or
how
to
cure
it
--
only
know
that
it
strikes
teenagers
and
goes
away
by
itself
after
eight
to
12
years
.
Louisa's mum, Lottie, told NBC News that the girl had flulike symptoms just over a year ago.
Louisa
's
mum
,
Lottie
,
told
NBC
News
that
the
girl
had
flulike
symptoms
just
over
a
year
ago
.
Shortly afterward, she had her first period of long sleeping.
Shortly
afterward
,
she
had
her
first
period
of
long
sleeping
.
She was eventually diagnosed with Kleine-Levin Syndrome, whose victims worldwide may number no more than 1,000.
She
was
eventually
diagnosed
with
Kleine-Levin
Syndrome
,
whose
victims
worldwide
may
number
no
more
than
1,000
.
The victims live normally for weeks or months at a time, with normal sleep patterns and normal energy levels.
The
victims
live
normally
for
weeks
or
months
at
a
time
,
with
normal
sleep
patterns
and
normal
energy
levels
.
Then, with little warning, they'll go to sleep for days or weeks at a time.
Then
,
with
little
warning
,
they
'll
go
to
sleep
for
days
or
weeks
at
a
time
.
So far, Louisa's longest period in bed has been 13 days.
So
far
,
Louisa
's
longest
period
in
bed
has
been
13
days
.
Victims will wake briefly, but be disoriented and not fully awake.
Victims
will
wake
briefly
,
but
be
disoriented
and
not
fully
awake
.
Louisa's parents force her awake so she can use the bathroom and eat.
Louisa
's
parents
force
her
awake
so
she
can
use
the
bathroom
and
eat
.
Now, Louisa's friends can tell when a period is coming on.
Now
,
Louisa
's
friends
can
tell
when
a
period
is
coming
on
.
She stops talking and she may be annoyed easily.
She
stops
talking
and
she
may
be
annoyed
easily
.
That's when she knows she has to get home to her bed.
That
's
when
she
knows
she
has
to
get
home
to
her
bed
.
Louisa has slept through family vacations, the dance recitals she loves to perform in, and school tests.
Louisa
has
slept
through
family
vacations
,
the
dance
recitals
she
loves
to
perform
in
,
and
school
tests
.
Now it becomes increasingly difficult to catch up on missed schoolwork.
Now
it
becomes
increasingly
difficult
to
catch
up
on
missed
schoolwork
.
But just as doctors don't know the cause, they also don't know why it ends as mysteriously as it began.
But
just
as
doctors
do
n't
know
the
cause
,
they
also
do
n't
know
why
it
ends
as
mysteriously
as
it
began
.
The illness is unrelated to narcolepsy, whose victims are constantly tired and drop off for brief periods of sleep at any time.
The
illness
is
unrelated
to
narcolepsy
,
whose
victims
are
constantly
tired
and
drop
off
for
brief
periods
of
sleep
at
any
time
.
It's so dramatic that some people have accused Louisa of making the false symptoms to get attention.
It
's
so
dramatic
that
some
people
have
accused
Louisa
of
making
the
false
symptoms
to
get
attention
.
Her father, Richard, thinks that's absurd.
Her
father
,
Richard
,
thinks
that
's
absurd
.
When 15-year-old Louisa Ball takes a nap, she sleeps for days on end, and no amount of shaking can fully wake her up. The British girl has a rare condition called Sleeping Beauty Sickness. Doctors don't know what causes it or how to cure it--only know that it strikes teenagers and goes away by itself after eight to 12 years.  Louisa's mum, Lottie, told NBC News that the girl had flulike symptoms just over a year ago. Shortly afterward, she had her first period of long sleeping.  She was eventually diagnosed with Kleine-Levin Syndrome, whose victims worldwide may number no more than 1,000. The victims live normally for weeks or months at a time, with normal sleep patterns and normal energy levels. Then, with little warning, they'll go to sleep for days or weeks at a time. So far, Louisa's longest period in bed has been 13 days. Victims will wake briefly, but be disoriented and not fully awake. Louisa's parents force her awake so she can use the bathroom and eat.  Now, Louisa's friends can tell when a period is coming on. She stops talking and she may be annoyed easily. That's when she knows she has to get home to her bed. Louisa has slept through family vacations, the dance recitals she loves to perform in, and school tests. Now it becomes increasingly difficult to catch up on missed schoolwork.  But just as doctors don't know the cause, they also don't know why it ends as mysteriously as it began. The illness is unrelated to narcolepsy, whose victims are constantly tired and drop off for brief periods of sleep at any time.  It's so dramatic that some people have accused Louisa of making the false symptoms to get attention. Her father, Richard, thinks that's absurd.