• Skip to content
  • Skip to navigation
Raising Children Network
  • Pregnancy
  • Newborns
  • Babies
  • Toddlers
  • Preschoolers
  • School age
  • Pre-teens
  • Teens
  • Grown-ups
  • Autism
  • Disability

What is secretin therapy?

Secretin is a hormone that occurs naturally in the intestine. It’s important for a healthy gut and digestion.

This therapy involves giving secretin to autistic people.

Who is secretin therapy for?

Supporters of this therapy say it can be used for any autistic person, although studies have focused on autistic children and teenagers.

What is secretin therapy used for?

Supporters of this therapy claim that secretin therapy can reduce the behaviour characteristics of autism. They also say that secretin therapy can be used to assess pancreas function or to identify digestive problems.

Where does secretin therapy come from?

This therapy comes from observations of 3 autistic children. These 3 children were given secretin when they were having endoscopies. It was claimed that the dose of secretin led to improvements in their behaviour. As a result, secretin gained popularity as a potential therapy for autistic children.

What is the idea behind secretin therapy?

This therapy is based on the idea that problems with the stomach and digestion in autistic children can interfere with their ability to focus on and develop skills like communicating with others.

It’s claimed that when these digestion problems are managed, autistic children are ‘freed up’ to focus on developing skills.

What does secretin therapy involve?

This therapy involves giving the person an injection of either natural or synthetic secretin.

There are no standard therapeutic guidelines about the use of secretin as a therapy for autistic children. Most studies have given people a single dose. Others have given more than one dose (usually 4-6 weeks apart).

Does secretin therapy help autistic children?

Secretin therapy doesn’t help children. High-quality research has shown that this therapy is ineffective or might be harmful.

Australian and international guidelines say that secretin therapy should not be used as a therapy for autistic children.

Who practises this method?

Secretin is not approved for use in Australia. If it is used, a doctor must supervise its use and administration (this is the case for any medicine).

Where can you find a practitioner?

Secretin is not approved for use in Australia, so no information is available on who might provide the therapy in this country.

Parent education, training, support and involvement

There are no support or training services available for this therapy.

Cost considerations

The cost of secretin therapy varies depending on whether trained therapists are involved in administering the therapy.

Therapies and supports for autistic children range from behaviour therapies and developmental approaches to medicines and alternative therapies. When you understand the main types of therapies and supports for autistic children, it’ll be easier to work out the approach that will best suit your child.

Supported By

  • Department of Social Services

Raising Children Network is supported by the Australian Government. Member organisations are the Parenting Research Centre and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute with The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health.

Member Organisations

  • Parenting Research Centre
  • The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
  • Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Follow us on social media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
Join 60,000 subscribers who receive free parenting news. Sign up now
Aboriginal flag (c) WAM Clothing
Torres Strait Islands flag
At raisingchildren.net.au we acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we live, gather and work. We recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
  • Privacy statement
  • Terms of use

© 2006-2023 Raising Children Network (Australia) Limited. All rights reserved.

Warning: This website and the information it contains is not intended as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified practitioner.

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation (HON) and complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information.