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Does secretin have a role to play in the treatment of autistic spectrum disorders?

Little information about the use of secretin in autistic disorders is currently available, despite a "Dateline NBC" report indicating otherwise. The Oct. 8, 1998, segment reported that children with autistic spectrum disorders may be helped by intravenous infusion of secretin, a polypeptide neurotransmitter. Since then, parents of autistic children have been calling their pediatricians to inquire about the potential benefit of this hormone to their child.

Autistic disorder is defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV), as a behavioral syndrome with three major components: 1) a qualitative impairment in social interactions; 2) a qualitative impairment in verbal and nonverbal communication; and 3) restrictive repetitive and stereotypic patterns of behavior, interests and activities. Children who show some of these symptoms, but do not meet all the criteria for autistic disorder, often are diagnosed as having autistic spectrum disorders.