It’s little wonder that a single puzzle piece is used as the symbol by most organizations that deal with autism.

This disorder that now affects one in 150 children in this country involves a puzzling array of symptoms and behaviors. Medical research accepted by most physicians indicates there is still no known single cause or cure for autism.

However, leading autism researches and some local moms have joined thousands like them across the country and have refused to accept there is little or nothing that can be done to help their children. Having turned to biomedical interventions in addition to other therapies, they have experienced varying degrees of success and setbacks.

“We are not trying some weird form of voodoo. We are treating medical conditions known to exist in children with autism,” said Janet Lintala of Beckley.

There is a new medical model established by Defeat Autism Now! or DAN! doctors. Traditionally, autism has been thought of as a brain disorder. DAN! doctors say they have the science to back up their beliefs that autism is made up of several physiological conditions, such as intestinal and immune disorders, inability to flush toxins from their bodies and high levels of yeast and metals in their bodies.

“This is a new model that says there is a set of medical conditions, and there is a need to treat the biochemistry not just the behaviors,” said Lintala, the mother of a child with autism and who has taken the DAN! clinician training.

However, she is quick to point out the biomedical interventions are used in conjunction with traditional therapies that have been developed for children with autism.

“We’re not saying this is a magic bullet. Families experience different results, but we are beginning to see lots of positive results from these biomedical interventions,” Lintala said.

Biomedical intervention involves applying the principles of biochemistry and physiology to clinical medicine, she said.

“You don’t cure an epidemic by treating the symptoms. You have to deal with the problem. Biomedical intervention addresses the underlying medical and genetic conditions that are found in children with autism, which was once thought to be strictly a brain disorder,” Lintala said.

One such condition — abnormal intestinal impermeability — is referred to colloquially as “leaky gut.” Chemicals, such as gluten in wheat and casein in milk, for example, do not break down sufficiently before reaching the lower intestine. Once they “leak” into the bloodstream, they create a reaction similar to that caused by narcotics. This may account for some of the “meltdowns” that can become severe and violent.

Many families nationwide say they’ve seen drastic changes in children who’ve gone on a diet free of gluten and casein.

Lintala’s son’s violent episodes disappeared within two weeks of following the diet.

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Kara Ware of Fayetteville, whose son Cazh, 5, began having meltdowns and stopped speaking at 13 months, has seen dramatic improvements in his overall behavior as a result of the diet and other biomedical interventions.