waichingliu81
11-05-2008, 12:22 PM
Wednesday, November 5 2008, 05:40 GMT
By Simon Reynolds, Entertainment Reporter
A man from Accrington has revealed that he suffers from a genetic disorder which causes his body to stiffen and collapse to the ground.
Andy Latham told The Telegraph that the heightened startle reflex causes particular problems around Bonfire Night.
He said: "Some people might jump when a firework goes off, but I'm literally scared stiff.
"My whole body will seize and stiffen, causing me to fall over like a dead weight. It can be very dangerous - one year I fell over and banged my head when a firework went off and had to go to hospital and have stitches."
He continued: "I have the major form of Hyperekplexia which means I have an exaggerated startle response to the unexpected."
Latham, who performs with disabled stripping troupe The Crippendales, said he prevents himself from injury by wearing earplugs, upping his medication and lying straight in bed or on the floor.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/odd/a134626/man-scared-stiff-by-loud-fireworks.html
By Simon Reynolds, Entertainment Reporter
A man from Accrington has revealed that he suffers from a genetic disorder which causes his body to stiffen and collapse to the ground.
Andy Latham told The Telegraph that the heightened startle reflex causes particular problems around Bonfire Night.
He said: "Some people might jump when a firework goes off, but I'm literally scared stiff.
"My whole body will seize and stiffen, causing me to fall over like a dead weight. It can be very dangerous - one year I fell over and banged my head when a firework went off and had to go to hospital and have stitches."
He continued: "I have the major form of Hyperekplexia which means I have an exaggerated startle response to the unexpected."
Latham, who performs with disabled stripping troupe The Crippendales, said he prevents himself from injury by wearing earplugs, upping his medication and lying straight in bed or on the floor.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/odd/a134626/man-scared-stiff-by-loud-fireworks.html