Story highlights Nico Morales and Latoya Jolly met online in December 2015

They found each other using a dating website for people on the autism spectrum

Most high-functioning people with autism want to be in a romantic relationship, one study found

This is the second episode in an ongoing series called "Heart of the Matter," using love stories to talk about big issues.

Fort Lauderdale, FL (CNN) Like many couples, Nico Morales and Latoya Jolly met online. Nico sent the first message while on vacation in Guatemala with his family in December 2015. Latoya's handle was pokejolly1993, a throwback to Pokemon and her birth year. Nico liked that they were both "children at heart." Soon after, the couple went on their first date.

Now, family and friends say, it's hard to keep them apart.

Morales and Jolly found each other using a lesser-known dating website called AutisticDating.net. Both Morales, 19, and Jolly, 23, have Asperger's syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism characterized by average, or above average, intelligence and a difficulty socializing and communicating with others. Depending upon the severity of these social deficits, people with Asperger's and other forms of autism may struggle to develop, maintain and understand relationships, including romantic ones.

Nico Morales and Latoya Jolly have a high-functioning form of autism.

"Social awkwardness is very common amongst autistic people," Morales said. "And if you thought that was difficult for friendships, imagine applying that to romantic relationships."

An estimated one in 68 children in the US has some form of autism spectrum disorder, according to a 2012 study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children can fall anywhere along the spectrum, which represents varying degrees of difficulty with social interaction, communication and repetitive behaviors. Researchers do not fully understand what causes these neurodevelopmental disorders, and there is no pharmaceutical treatment or cure.

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