Mystery illness at NY school

[Ed Jewett]

Children in New York Contract Mysterious Illness, Federal Government Preventing Disclosure of Disease

January 14th, 2012They're saying that the cause isn't Gardasil:

NYS Health Department spokesman Jeff Hammond also says vaccines such as Gardasil were investigated as a cause and ruled out. (WGRZ)

Did these girls receive Gardasil vaccinations?
The diagnosis, which is apparently known by the government, is being kept from the girls and their families.
Here's a question for any of the several medical doctors who regularly read Cryptogon:
Have you ever heard of doctors treating patients without telling them (or their families) what they're being treated for?
Response
Here's a response from Dr. H in the U.S. I have edited this slightly to maintain Dr. H's privacy:
Kevin, I'm an MD in [a state in the U.S.]. I've been in private practice since completing my residency in 2002.
The idea that the govt would not permit a doctor to tell a patient (or a peds patient's parents/guardians) a diagnosis is insane. No physician I know would agree to that.
The sacred doctor-patient bond is more important than any edicts out of Washington. They might be able to issue gag orders to the courts, but they can't gag me or my colleagues.
The one circumstance where it might make sense not to tell a patient a diagnosis would be if there were more harm from revealing the diagnosismaybe Munchausen's by proxy if the child were not physically there, abuse by the parent was suspected, and telling the parent that "we know you've been hurting your child for attention" might result in more harm to the kid before the child could be taken away from an abusive situation. What you wrote about doesn't fit with that scenario, of course.
Saying "I know but won't tell you what I know" is malpractice. Any atty will have tons of cash rolling in through torts if a doctor really said that.
You can use this email, but please don't disclose my name.
-h
Via: Liberty Confidential:
Late last year, 12 girls in New York were hit with strange symptoms that included spasms, and tics. Some children were so bad, and for so long, that they had to be pulled out of school and tutored at home. One who couldn't return to school had seizures.
Parents have been demanding answers since late 2011.
An investigation was launched into why these children all girls who attend the same school, Le Roy, in New York have come down with this mysterious illness.
Visits to psychologists, medical doctors, MRIs, and more, have been conducted over the past months. Nothing has been revealed.
The story took an unsettling turn this week when a government health official told parents not to worry, that they know what's been making the children suffer these symptoms; but that the government will not permit the disclosure of details, not even to the parents.
The official, from the state health department, called it a "federal issue."
Posted in Health