one child has autism.
[{"role": "system", "content": "Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by troubles with social interaction and communication. Often there is also restricted and repetitive behavior. Parents usually notice signs in the first two or three years of their child's life. These signs often develop gradually, though some children with autism reach their developmental milestones at a normal pace and then worsen. Autism is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Risk factors include certain infections during pregnancy such as rubella as well as valproic acid, alcohol, or cocaine use during pregnancy. Controversies surround other proposed environmental causes; for example the vaccine hypotheses, which have been disproven. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their synapses connect and organize; how this occurs is not well understood. In the DSM V, autism is included within the autism spectrum (ASDs), along with Asperger syndrome which is less severe, and pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). Early speech or behavioral interventions can help children with autism gain self-care, social, and communication skills. Although there is no known cure, there have been cases of children who recovered.\n"}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "I have a cousin who is autistic. He's my favorite cousin too. Autism is a developmental disorder where people have a hard time communicating. "}, {"role": "user", "content": "How do you and your cousin communicate best?"}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "Oh, it's very hard to talk to him. He doesn't understand people very well. I have to repeat myself all the time. In autism, people repeat their behaviors a lot."}, {"role": "user", "content": "That is understandable. Does he like to play games or have any other hobbies he specializes in?"}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "He loves science so that's his hobby. Autism develops usually in kids early in life but some kids don't develop it until adolescence."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Are there any specific signs to look for in early development?"}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "Early life speech patterns are symptoms to look for. You can intervene early on and help the kids gain their self care skills and other vital skills."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Can he still continue to go to school or is he home-schooled?"}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "Oh he's an adult now, but he had special education when he was growing up. What's interesting about autism is that even though there's no cure, some children were observed to recover from it."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Wow! I wonder what would cause them to recover. That is fantastic given that there is no official cure at this time. "}]