Arthritis is often identified as a problem only of adults, but arthritis can affect persons of any age. Arthritis which affects children between 6 months to 16 years is called juvenile arthritis. Among the various types of arthritis in children, the one which is most prevalent is juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). It is also known as juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) (as the reason is unknown). Research estimates that the number of juvenile arthritis cases under the age of 17 in United States is approximately 300,000 while JRA affects close to 50,000 children.

Asperger Syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger’s Disorder, is a disorder characterized by an abnormality in social skills and non-verbal communication. It is a neurological and developmental disorder, a subtype of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In AS, eccentric behavior and social isolation are the primary symptoms; while in ASD, impairment in communication and language skills is the chief symptom. However, children with AS develop language skills quite appropriate to their age, unlike autism or ASD.

Kids usually come home from school exhausted and extremely hungry. After school, kids will gobble anything within reach. The primary reason being that most children finished their lunch around 11:30am-12:00noon. By the time they come home around 2:30pm-3:00pm they are famished. Most parents worry that their kids do not eat healthy after-school snacks. Especially when the kids are engaged in after-school activity or are in a day care, they tend to eat more of junk foods than healthy snacks. It is all the more difficult with kids who are choosy about foods.