'I just woke up and the stuttering started': 12 cheerleaders at same school develop Tourette's-like symptoms... diagnosed as 'mass hysteria' disorder

Federal privacy laws prevent school, NYS Department of Health from disclosing cause of illness



Students and parents demanding answers



Unsatisfied with how issue is being handled

A high school cheerleader who says she woke up from a nap stricken with Tourette's-like symptoms is speaking out for the first time - and demanding answers from the New York State Department of Health.

Seventeen-year-old Thera Sanchez, appearing with her friend, Katie Krautwurst, 16, on NBC's Today Show, said she started the school year off like any other. But her life dramatically changed the evening of October 7.

The teenagers are among 12 girls at LeRoy Junior-Senior High School suffering suddenly from a mysterious disorder, which causes them to shake and tic uncontrollably.



Doctors today said the outbreak of Tourette's was most likely caused by a rare 'conversion disorder' otherwise known as mass hysteria.



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Medical mystery: Thera Sanchez, 17, said she and 11 other girls at LeRoy Junior-Senior High School in upstate New York are suffering similar symptoms

Although the disorder is psychological, Dr Laszlo Mechtler told the Today show that the symptoms are real - but will fade with time.



Conversion disorder can occur after a stressful and event and often also include numbness or blindess - but the exact cause is not known.

The girls and their mothers appeared on the programme, insisting the state Department of Health isn't giving them clear answers.

Their daughters, close friends, described how their active school lives have been completely crippled by the onset of symptoms, including stuttering and verbal outbursts.



'I used to cheer every day,' Miss Sanchez said. 'I used to go to two art classes every day. Now I'm not in school.'

Those things she says now are nearly impossible.

'I'm very angry, I'm very frustrated, no one's giving answers,' she continued.

Miss Krautwurst shares her frustration, and she said her family has not received any testing data from the school or the Department of Health explaining how 12 girls at the the same school were suddenly stricken with similar symptoms.

Bright future: Miss Sanchez said she was on her high school cheer squad and on the honour roll before she woke up on October 7 stuttering

Frustrated: Katie Krautwurst, 16, is one of the 12 girls suffering sudden uncontrollable outbursts and tics Concerned: (From L-R) Beth Miller, her daughter, Katie Krautwurst, and Melissa Philips, with her daughter, Thera, demanded answers on the Today Show 'I'm angry too,' she said.

'I can't explain it. They told us it was traumatic. But I don't really think any of us had that traumatic of a life before and that it would randomly happen.'

Miss Sanchez's mother, Melissa Philips, said she is not satisfied with what the doctors or school administrators have told her.

'When these started, I was fine. I was perfectly fine. I felt good about everything, I was on honour roll. There was nothing going wrong. And then I just woke up and that's when the stuttering started.' - Thera Sanchez, 17

'Nothing's been collectively done for our daughters. Everything's been done individually. Testing that they say all of the girls have had, they have not had. The facts that they're stating just are not true,' she said.



Miss Sanchez and Miss Krautwurst are each getting private treatment from their doctors.

And while Miss Krautwurst says her symptoms have improved, they want more answers from the New York Department of Health, which says each student was examined and given a diagnoses.

A spokesman for the agency told Fox News the investigation did not reveal environmental or infectious causes as the origin of the girls' illness.

Miss Sanchez told Ann Curry on the Today Show she was told her condition was stress-induced.

But she denied feeling extreme stress on the onset.

'When these started, I was fine. I was perfectly fine,' she said, referring to her verbal outbursts. 'I felt good about everything, I was on honour roll. There was nothing going wrong. And then I just woke up and that's when the stuttering started.'

Questions linger: An investigation by the NYS Department of Health did not reveal environmental or infectious causes at LeRoy High School as the origin

Expert: Dr Greg Young, with the NYS Department of Health, said he is unable to disclose what the cause of the symptoms are due to privacy laws

Unlike Katie, she said her condition has since gotten worse.

School administrators have insisted it is not a case of mass hysteria and that none of the girls are making the illness or symptoms up.

Tourette's syndrome affects the body's brain and nervous system by causing tics - repeated, uncontrollable movements or involuntary vocal sounds.

Last week, the school held a forum for concerned parents. About 150 people attended, demanding to know what was wrong with the students.

'I can't explain it. They told us it was traumatic. But I don't really think any of us had that traumatic of a life before and that it would randomly happen.' - Katie Krautwurst , 16

Dr Greg Young, with the NYS Department of Health, said: 'I can assure you these children have all been seen by professionals that have come up with answers and they are all being treated and they're actually doing pretty well.'

He revealed that tics like this can be caused by a number of factors such as genetics, head trauma, drugs for ADHD and OCD and antihistamines.

Through tests over the last few months, they have been able to rule out a number of environmental factors, infections, illegal drugs and carbon monoxide poisoning.

WGRZ.com reported the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta has been consulted, along with Columbia University, as well as the Genesee County Health Department and the New York State Health Department.

Dr Young assured parents that these cases have been seen nationwide and they come and go in individuals.

He said that stress and anxiety can make them worse.

But most parents were left frustrated due to HIPAA (federal health privacy laws) which meant the doctors were limited in telling them what was causing the symptoms.

Because of this and the limited number of cases in the small community, Dr Young said their hands were tied as they cannot comment on children's diagnosis.

He said some of the students were already showing signs of improvement.

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