The first signs of AHC may include:
- Uncontrollable eye movements (nystagmus)
- Temporary paralysis of one side of the body, leg, arm, or face (hemiplegia)
- Muscles contracting involuntarily (dystonia)
- Temporary paralysis from the neck down, including the trunk, and all four limbs (quadriplegia)
- Seizure-like episodes
Typical Triggers of AHC:
AHC episodes are often associated with individualized triggers that cause overstimulation which precedes or induces the attack. These may include:
- Psychological stress or emotional response – excitement, anxiety, anticipation, or fright
- Environmental stressors – bright light, fluorescent bulbs, sunlight, excessive heat or cold, excessive sound, crowds, excessive odors/pollution
- Water exposure – bathing or swimming
- Certain foods or fragrances – dyes, chocolate, missed meals
- Excessive or atypically strenuous exercise – jumping, swinging, dancing, playing
- Fatigue – sleep disturbances, missing a nap, delayed bedtime
- Medications – newly added or changed
- The onset of common illnesses – No identifiable cause
Long-Term Effects of AHC
Those with AHC do not grow out of the disorder as the title would suggest.
- AHC is a disorder with ongoing mental and neurological deficits
- Although there is no documentation that the disorder limits life expectancy, symptoms may change with age and result in life-threatening complications
- In rare cases, AHC individuals have died suddenly and unexpectedly (similar to “sudden unexplained death in epilepsy” or SUDEP).
Despite the difficult reality of the diagnosis, AHCF holds fast to hope through relentless advocacy, support, and research to end AHC.
