Updated June 09, 2015.
Q. My 3 year old daughter weighs 50 pounds and is severely knock kneed. She is constantly in extreme pain and is not wanting to walk by the time evening comes. Is there anything we can do beside give her motrin and tylenol? She falls a lot and her knees are swollen almost constantly. The doctor did a check for arthritis but that come back normal. I would greatly appreciate an answer please. Donna, Colcord, Oklahoma
A.

It is very common for children to have knock knees, which is also called genu valgum. In fact, according to the Shriners Hospital, "in the first 12 months of life, bowed legs are normal. The legs naturally bow outward and begin to straighten as the baby grows. By age 4, it is common to see the child become knock kneed, and then between ages 7-10, the legs again become straight. A family history of knock knees is common."

So just having knock knees can be very normal at this age. Her knees shouldn't be swollen though and they shouldn't hurt so much that she doesn't want to walk...

And there really isn't a good 'check for arthritis.' There are some blood tests that you can do, including an ANA (Antinuclear Antibody) and RF (Rheumatoid Factor) test, but these can be normal in many children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

If you really believe that her knees are 'swollen' and she is really in 'extreme pain,' then you might get a second opinion from a Pediatric Orthopedic specialist or a Pediatric Rheumatologist.

This is especially important if she has any other symptoms, like a fever, rash, or poor weight gain.

Keep in mind that saying something like 'constantly in extreme pain' gives the impression that she is crying or complaining for most of the day. So you wouldn't expect her to be running around and playing most of the time and just saying it hurts occasionally.

And saying that 'her knees are swollen almost constantly' paints a picture of a child's knees with fluid around them, and that her knees are sometimes a more normal size.