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Number of students with Tourette symptoms grows
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 3:16 pm
by Matt
CORINTH - The number of students across New York State -- from Genesee County to Saratoga County -- who have now come down with Tourette syndrome symptoms continues to grow. The figure now stands at 17.
In addition, for the first time, it's not just girls who have been affected. A boy from western New York has become the latest victim.
The number of students from Le Roy High School in Genesee County who have now been confirmed with conversion disorder is 15 -- 14 of them girls and now one boy.
It is not clear at this time if there's a connection to the two teenage girls from Corinth in Saratoga County who have displayed similar tics and involuntary movements.
One of those girls is 17-year old Lori Brownell, who had been a top scholar athlete, excelling in both softball and field hockey, before her symptoms began showing last year.
Lori has been posting regular YouTube videos intent on giving the disease the attention she believes it deserves so that she can help others learn to cope with it.
It just so happens Lori traveled through Le Roy last year with her softball team. Perhaps by coincidence, one of her teammates, Alycia Nicholson, is now also experiencing Tourette symptoms that include twitching, convulsions and joint pain.
The National Institute of Health is planning to get involved to help search for answers. In addition, famed environmental activist Erin Brockovich is now involved and is planning to send a team of scientists into Le Roy so that ground samples can be taken from around the high school.
School officials in Le Roy say they have ruled out all environmental factors, infections and the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Meanwhile, a group of parents in Le Roy, dissatisfied with the diagnosis of mass psychogenic illness from local doctors, has made a unanimous decision to seek the help of national experts in the field.
http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S2468945.shtml?cat=300
Crazy stuff... I wonder what could be the cause?
Environmental pollution? Bad batch of drugs?
Contaminated food?
Re: Number of students with Tourette symptoms grows
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 3:18 pm
by Kelly
Watched a couple of the girls on the news the other night. It's a puzzle alright. Your suggestions are good ones......and interesting that no adult has come down with this - teachers at the schools, parents, etc.
Re: Number of students with Tourette symptoms grows
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 5:25 pm
by hobkyl
Did I hear somewhere that those girls from Saratoga Co stopped and ate somewhere in Le Roy?
Re: Number of students with Tourette symptoms grows
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 10:15 am
by gardengirl13
Yeah on the local (Albany) news they said that the one (not sure about the other) ate somewhere in Le Roy, can't remember where. It's weird. I really wonder what's going on? And like Kelly said, why aren't any adults getting it? Are the girls and the boy connected somehow other then just going to the same school? Do they all hang out in one area where adults may not go? So many questions.
Re: Number of students with Tourette symptoms grows
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 11:41 am
by Matt
Activist Erin Brockovich looking into teens' mystery ailment
Environmental activist Erin Brockovich has started her own investigation into the mysterious illness that's caused symptoms of facial tics and verbal outbursts among teenagers in Le Roy, N.Y., in light of new evidence about a toxic chemical spill more than 40 years ago that caused water and ground contamination nearby.
What does she think?
[spoiler]Environmental pollution - Cyanide[/spoiler]
More here:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/sto ... csp=34news
Well.. it is a horrible thing to happen to these teens, but of all things I HOPE it is traced back to ground contamination. Certain politicians need to be reminded of the need for such "unnecessary" departments such as the EPA and DEC, if not for, we would have cases like this constantly, all over the country.
Re: Number of students with Tourette symptoms grows
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 6:16 am
by ApproachingLight
Gosh, i am really skeptical of this. Teenage girls all. You remember high school.
Seems it is a way to get attention and be in the "in" group. If it was environmental it would affect other ages and genders. Agree with garden girl.
Re: Number of students with Tourette symptoms grows
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 8:54 am
by Kelly
Gosh, David, so are you saying they're faking?
Re: Number of students with Tourette symptoms grows
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 11:02 am
by Matt
some cases are in Albany. Why would teen girls across the state fake something from teens they don't know in Leroy, NY? The cases happened long before the story broke.
Also, they are all diagnosed with these disorders by MDs.