Secretin Therapy for Autism
The Gastrointestinal and Brain Function Link in Autism
Research has found a link between autism spectrum diseases and the functions of the gastrointestinal system and the brain. This link appears to be the hormone, secretin.
Secretin Therapy for Autism
All parents want their children to reach their highest level of achievement. Parents of autistic children are no different. There are many levels of achievement on the autism spectrum and there are many things available to help these children reach even higher levels than previously thought possible. One treatment that has shown success is secretin therapy.
Like most experimental treatments for autism, secretin therapy is surrounded by controversy. Some studies have shown no significant effects were achieved from secretin therapy, while others have shown exciting results.
Many parents report the first signs of change seem to happen within the first three days after receiving oral or injectable secretin. Progress tends to happen quickly. Children with poor appetites take on new food interests. Verbal skills improve. Bowel movements and potty training improve. Better eye contact and social awareness are reported. Within 5 weeks of the secretin infusion, a significant improvement of the children's gastrointestinal symptoms was observed, as was a dramatic improvement in their behavior, manifested by improved eye contact, alertness, and expansion of expressive language. Many children who had not spoken in months and in some cases, years began speaking again.
These clinical observations suggest a link between gastrointestinal and brain function in patients with autistic behavior. The data to date shows that there has been positive results in approximately 85% to 90% of the children who were given secretin.
Secretin and the Autism Link
Secretin is a natural hormone produced in our body that controls digestion and is secreted by cells in the digestive system when the stomach empties. Secretin stimulates the pancreas to emit digestive fluids rich in bicarbonate which neutralize the acidity of the intestines. It also stimulates the stomach to produce pepsin, an enzyme that aids in digestion of protein. Secretin also stimulates the liver to produce bile.
Although effects of secretin are most significant in the abdomen where the hormone aids in digestion, It also appears to play a role in autism as it is very common for autistic children to display gastrointestinal symptoms. This may be related to secretin deficiency.
Research has recently suggested that the characteristics of autistic spectrum disorders may be caused by the build-up of particular undigested foods, such as those rich in casein and gluten. It is believed that people with autistic spectrum disorders may have insufficient amounts of secretin within their digestive systems. In order to replace this deficiency, many scientists believe doses of secretin might relieve these bowel symptoms and improve autistic characteristics. Many people with autistic spectrum disorders also have bowel conditions, often referred to as 'leaky gut'.
Recent theories have also suggested secretin may be able to reach the brain, affecting neurons in the amygdala, the part of the brain that helps to interpret emotions through facial expressions, such as understanding threatening behavior, also known as our primitive 'fight or flight' response. Certainly people with autistic spectrum disorders have difficulties reading people's facial expressions and body language, and seem to have little awareness of danger.
Secretin therapy came to the nation's attention in 1998 when a mother of an autistic child reported her son's autistic difficulties showed remarkable signs of recovery when given secretin to treat a stomach problem. A number of studies followed, and one parent from an early study reported that within three weeks her son had progressed from a two word vocabulary to hundreds of words and short sentences.
One outcome from secretin research is that it has caused many physicians to focus on the body as a whole, and to treat the autistic individual holistically rather than concentrating solely on the perceived behavioral and psychological abnormalities of the disease.
If you are considering secretin as a treatment for your child, please be aware that as it is not a mainstream intervention for autistic spectrum disorders as yet, and it is not readily available.
