i was diagnosed with 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": "user", "content": "Hi. I need to learn as much as I can about autism. My cousin is autistic and I want to be better able to understand him. "}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "Hi there. Autism is an unfortunate birth defect that is commonly associated with troubled social interaction and communication."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Are there different kind of autism? And are there differing degrees of severity?"}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "There is. One of the more known ones is Asperger Syndrome. Aspergers makes it almost impossible to interact whatsoever with anyone. "}, {"role": "user", "content": "My cousin interacts fairly well, but he struggles with it. How common is autism in the general population?"}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "I am not 100% sure on how common it is, but to answer your previous question yes there are differing degrees of it."}, {"role": "user", "content": "I think it seems like autistic people often have gifts or special talents in specific areas, too, like my cousin is excellent at music."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "They do seem to have unique talents. It is interesting how autism even develops and sad at the same time."}, {"role": "user", "content": "I know autistic people have a hard time in school and often have to take special classes."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "They do, but with the right medications they can function and succeed just like everyone else. "}]