Secretin in the Treatment of Autism

Beginning of article

Q My 9-year-old son has autism. His main problems are related to his lack of language skills and difficulty relating to others, especially if they are strangers or relatively unfamiliar to him. I saw a television news show recently about how the use of secretin in children who have autism has significantly improved their language and overall IQ. I have been unable to find any additional information on the Internet, except that most of the children who received it have improved in some way.

My son's doctor cannot find any studies in "peer reviewed journals." He is concerned about administering a drug that has not been approved by the FDA for use in treating autism.

Do you have any new information about the use of secretin in autism? I am concerned that my son will not benefit from it if he has to wait until he gets older. Also, do you think that insurance will cover the cost of the drug? No physician in our small town is willing to administer secretin, but I should be able to find a doctor in a nearby major city who will.

A I have received a number of questions regarding the use of secretin in children who have autism (or who have autistic spectrum disorders) over the last few months, primarily because of the publicity given to the subject by a national television news show and on a number of Internet sites. I hesitated …