Children Common Problems There are many subtle mechanical abnormalities that are not severe enough to warrant surgery but may be dismissed by the pediatrician as a normal variant of the child's growth.   Flat Feet All children up until about the age of three will appear flat footed due to the excessive fatty tissue on the sole of the foot. Dr. Kneebone can identify whether or not the bony alignment in your child's foot is normal. Signs that your child's feet may not be developing properly include: 1) Not walking by age 2 2) Inability to run at age 3 3) Constantly tripping and falling 4) Laziness 5) Wanting to be carried or ride in the stroller In-toeing (pigeon toed, toes pointing inward during walking) There are a lot of rotations that occur in the lower extremeties during development. These occur from conception through adolescence. In-toeing is abnormal at any age and should be treated as early as possible. It is treatable non-surgically up to the age of about 7. If left untreated, many secondary mechanical problems can result. Other common pediatric foot problems include: Warts - viral skin infection that can be painful and spread. Ingrown toenails - during adolescence this problem results from differential growth of tissues (the skin, the bone and the nail are growing at different rates and the feet are growing out of once well-fitting shoes).