A strange case of nocturnal paralysis: During the day, 13-year-old Shoaib Ahmed and his brother 9-year-old brother Abdul Rasheed, are like any other kids. But when the sun sets, they become paralysed and unable to move or speak again until the sun rises.
It is the first known case of these symptoms, and doctors have no idea what is causing them.
One idea, that the condition was related to sunlight itself, was ruled out because the boys could move or speak during the day in a dark, enclosed room.
The boys are not suffering from nerve damage or sleep paralysis.
It is more likely that the condition is somehow related to genetics. The boys’ parents are first cousins, a practice that is not uncommon in Pakistan. Genetic testing of the brothers’ blood samples is underway abroad.
The good news is that the doctors have been trialing a range of medicines to help relieve the condition, and have had some positive results.
It is hoped that further research will give a better idea of what might be causing these strange symptoms.