Mystery twitches in New York students still being investigated

The appearance of Tourette’s type symptoms in 12 formerly healthy students from the same New York school district is still being investigated.

97.3 KIRO FM’s Ross and Burbank Show spoke to the reporter who broke the story back in November about what the latest developments are in the case.

“We’re up to 12 confirmed cases in the Roy area and six suspected cases. These are all young folks and there is one adult who reportedly exhibited some of the same symptoms,” said reporter Evan White with WHAM TV in Rochester, NY.

White said when he began his investigation, the district told him that they had been looking into the cases for a while.

“According to the school district it was something they were looking at even earlier than [November], back into the previous school year.”

The symptoms came on suddenly. In an appearance on Dr. Drew, one of the girls said her symptoms suddenly appeared when she woke up from a nap.

White said the school district and state health department are saying a conversion disorder is responsible for the symptoms.

The conclusion is that these are just the latest examples of what used to be called “mass hysteria.” Now known as conversion disorder, sufferers experience real, but psychologically triggered symptoms.

“Something that can be brought about by and exacerbated by stress. That is what they’ve put out there as being the likely diagnosis for this,” said White. “But there are a lot of parents and folks in the community that don’t buy it.”

White said there are several other groups, including one led by attorney Erin Brockovich, looking into other causes that include a report of 1970 train crash spill and concerns of fracking, a drilling technique to extract oil and gas, being used on school grounds.

By JAMIE GRISWOLD, MyNorthwest.com Editor
The Associated Press contributed to this report.