Multiple students suffering from tics/hiccups

An investigation is underway at Essex Agricultural and Technical High School in Danvers, Mass., where more than a dozen students have been experiencing bizarre vocal tics or hiccups, the Salem News reported.

The Massachusetts Department of Health is working with local health officials in order to better assist the community.

However, Peter Mirandi, the health director for Danvers, said that no physicians have officially diagnosed or confirmed any of the students' cases - meaning health officials cannot determine a specific cause just yet.

"I have no confirmed cases of something; we don't know if it's a contagious disease or an environmentally induced disorder. It's not responsible for me to say anything further on it," Mirandi told the Salem News.

The vocal tics began between November and December of 2012, when two to three parents contacted Mirandi's office about their children.

The situation is similar to a scenario that occurred Le Roy High School in upstate New York, where 12 girls suffered from tics comparable to Tourette syndrome. An investigation into the incident did not reveal any environmental causes for the 'outbreak,' leading one doctor to assume the girls may be suffering from mass hysteria brought on by stress.

its all a prank 

SweetNovember* wrote: My mom and older brother stammer when they talk and my little brother talks too fast. My mom says it's environmental. As in you can pick it up from the people around you. She said my older brother got it from her but when me and my younger sister came around she stopped talking so much in front of us so we wouldn't have it. I don't know what up with my little bro. My mom's always telling him to slow down.

Yup i really believe its that. I remember my son all of a sudden starting having "tics" or "twitches" and made this strange noise. Had me thinking something was wrong with him. He started doing these things when he went to visit his father over spring break. I kept sayin to myself he has to be copying something some kid was doing. Sure enough it stopped after a few annoying months. Smh