Genetic or Not? Sneeze at the Sun

Genetic or Not?  Sneeze at the Sun

August 2, 2009

J. Glenn Eugster

Fontana Free Press

My wife Deborah and I visited my sister Claudette and my brother-in-law Eli at their summer home in Ocean Isle, NC.  It is always a treat to see these two and their beach-house makes it all the more enjoyable.  Most always my sister and I will get into some slightly off-beat conversation and this year was no different.  One of us sneezed which sparked a discussion about the causes of sneezing.  My sister, using Clifford Clavin-logic, stated with great confidence that “sunlight caused sneezing is a genetic trait”.  

As Eli and my wife quickly decided they had other things to do, I questioned Claudette’s ascertain using my own lopsided-wisdom and fuzzy stories.  As the conversation unfolded and wandered about it was obvious that my sister, who was always a much better student than me, wasn’t buying my opinions.  

When I returned home from our visit I did some research on the topic of our debate.  I learned from my research was that sunshine sneezing is referred to as  “Photic Sneeze Reflex“.   It appeared from the research that there is no consensus medical opinion about whether we get this trait from our parents.  Research reveals that sunshine-sneezing occurs in one out of every three people.   I sent my findings to Claudette with encouragement that perhaps her fact-finding would reveal information that will someday support her contention that either, or both, our parents-- Joe and Jay, gave this happy face quality to us. 

I noted that one of the researchers looking into the link to genetics is looking for people to test.  I also noted that I'm now researching another family theory that if you pick dandelion flowers you will have to pee.  This my get complicated if it turns out that research reveals that picking “wee-wee flowers” in the sunlight causes this trait?  Go figure, I thought we were normal.