Students Still Plagued By Mystery Ailment At Reed School

By Tanjua Damon

Several parents whose children are still complaining of symptoms of a mystery ailment are urging school officials to hold a meeting to explain what they know about what could be possibly making children sick at Reed Intermediate School and open up the communication to all parents.

Currently five female students are being taught by a certified substitute teacher at Newtown Middle School instead of attending Reed School because they continue to display a reaction to something at the new school. Some of the students display a red patchiness around their eyes and ears, while others have symptoms of nausea, headaches, dizziness, sore throats, and are fatigued.

“We want the public to understand what is going on,” Susanne Donohue, whose daughter Katherine has displayed symptoms said. “If children are having mild symptoms, they need to come forward.”

Katherine has been experiencing symptoms from the initial outbreak in late March. Ms Donohue explained that the rash was hot to the touch and that Katherine would come home daily. After being home for a few hours the rash would go away. She, like many of the students, were seen by their pediatricians, while some saw their allergists who explained that the issue was environmental.

“Some of the children have been teased. Misinformation causes some parents to tell their children they are faking,” Ms Donohue said. “We have been very discouraged and passed off, and made to feel we were the only ones. I don’t feel we’ve gotten the information we need. I don’t think we’re asking for anything unreasonable. It affects every child in that school.”

Sherri Davis, whose daughter Ashley has also experienced symptoms, feels the communication has been sparse and often parents whose children are affected have been told a variety of things.

“I don’t think the process has been going that well overall,” Ms Davis said. “I just want someone to lay all the cards on the table and the all the facts that there are. I want them to be consistent with all the parents involved.”

Some parents are concerned that parents who do not have experience with environmental reactions or even allergic reactions may not know that their particular child has had a reaction and may have mistaken it for the child simply not feeling well.

“I would like to see them let people know what is going on. There has been zero communication from the start,” said parent Liz Fay, whose daughter Chelsea has symptoms. “There’s a whole school of children there now and parents still don’t know what could be affecting their children. If a child has never been exposed to this before, they may not know their child is having a reaction.”

The mystery began March 26 when students began complaining of a rash and an itch. About 150 students went to the nurse in about a week’s time complaining of these symptoms. The school did have a water leak in early March, which caused water to come in from the roof affecting both floors of the school. On March 25 there was some work done by contractors after school hours that could have dislodged some materials, according to Donna McCarthy, director of the Newtown Health District. During April vacation damaged ceiling tiles from the leak were removed and replaced.

To date there has been no testing done at the school, according to Ms McCarthy. The health department is working with its medical advisor, Thomas Draper, as well as the University of Connecticut Health Center, and industrial hygienist Gil Cormier of Occupational Risk Services.

“I want testing to be done,” Ms McCarthy said. “Even if he [Mr Cormier] doesn’t think it’s needed, he’s going to have to address public relations.”

The school has tried various measures to address the students being affected. The students were taken out of their classrooms and taught by a substitute in another part of the building, but symptoms persisted. When the students came back from April vacation on the 21st and symptoms still continued, the school decided to bring the girls to the middle school to be educated for a few weeks.

Reed School Principal Donna Denniston admits the process has been frustrating, but assures parents that the district is doing its best to find out what could be causing the reaction to some students. She explained that she sympathizes with the students who are not able to attend their school and be with the friends they know.

“I am concerned about the educational programs and the physical well being of these girls,” Ms Denniston said. “If I knew what the problem was and could even begin to address it, then there would be some sense of satisfaction that we are moving in the right direction.”

Superintendent of Schools Evan Pitkoff said testing has been ordered. He also explained that a board certified specialist of allergies, asthma, and immunology will review the information the district has to date and will report back to him later this week. Once the report is received, Dr Pitkoff plans to meet with parents whose children are experiencing reactions to discuss the findings.

“Testing has been ordered to double check everything,” Dr Pitkoff said. “We don’t know if the tests will reveal anything.”

The students will continued to be educated at the middle school for the next week to two weeks at the recommendation of Dr Draper to see if taking them out of the environment for a period of time helps eliminate the students’ reactions.