Parents thought they'd finally found the answer to keeping baby occupied, engaged, and active while giving busy parents a break. But shortly after their popularity spiked, so did ER visits for injuries like concussions, abrasions, burns, and fractures.
Giving babies the freedom to explore their environments unhindered led to accidents. Falling down staircases, burns from otherwise inaccessible hot liquids, and even rolling down the driveway into the street were all fairly common baby walker incidents.
Ashanti Woods, a pediatrician practicing at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, has always urged parents to use caution if they choose to let their babies explore in a walker.
I also think families should acknowledge that we are more distracted today in comparison to 20 years ago. Because of this, we are more likely to keep our infants and toddlers free of significant injury by avoiding baby walkers.
He encourages parents who opt for walkers to only allow their baby access in a completely hazard-free environment. While baby activity walkers initially seemed like the gold standard, the risk isn't worth the reward. There are safe alternatives to walkers, though. Stationary play centers or bouncers, provide developmentally appropriate stimulation without the risk of injury common with mobile walkers. Bouncing and spinning within the confines of the play center "will develop a child's tone, or inner musculature, in their feet, legs, thighs, and hips.
There are an overwhelming number of baby walkers and jumpers on the market and choosing one can be difficult. The best baby jumper will have a wide, sturdy base and safe, age-appropriate toys that cannot be swallowed by curious babies. Removable fabric seats are also a plus for parents, making clean-up a little easier. Push walkers don't allow baby the unfettered freedom of traditional walkers and most models allow parents to control the speed at which the wheels move.
Keep in mind though, any mobility toys should only be used under close supervision. When considering alternatives to a baby walker age is a crucial factor. Answer From Jay L. With Jay L. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again.
Show references Shelov SP, et al. Age eight months through twelve months. New York, N. Ramdzan SN, et al. Unintentional injury and its prevention in infant: Knowledge and self-reported practices of main caregivers.
BMC Pediatrics. Safety standards for infant walkers: Final rule. Consumer Safety. Accessed May 17, Baby sling Baby sunscreen Breast-feeding and medications Breast-feeding nutrition: Tips for moms Breast-feeding support Breast-feeding twins Breast milk sharing Breast-feeding and alcohol Breast-feeding and weight loss Breast-feeding strike Corn syrup for constipation: OK for babies?
Crying baby? How to keep your cool Baby sleep Tummy time Hyperlactation Infant botulism Infant choking prevention Infant constipation Infant development: Milestones from 10 to 12 months Infant development: Ages 4 to 6 months Infant development: Ages 7 to 9 months Infant formula preparation Infant formula: Is tap or bottled water better? Throw out your baby walkers! Also, be sure that there are no walkers wherever your child is being cared for, such as child care centers or in someone else's home.
Stationary activity centers —they look like walkers but have no wheels. They usually have seats that rotate, tip, and bounce. Play yards or playpens —these are great safety zones for children as they learn to sit, crawl, or walk. High chairs —older children often enjoy sitting up in a high chair and playing with toys on the tray. New safety standards for baby walkers have been in place since They are now made wider so they cannot fit through most doors, or they have brakes to stop them at the edge of a step.
However, these improvements will not prevent all injuries from walkers. They still have wheels, so children can still move fast and reach higher.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has called for a ban on the manufacture and sale of baby walkers with wheels. Under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act , Canadians are not allowed to manufacture, import, advertise or sell baby walkers. Canada is the first country to have such a law against them. Safety for Your Child: 6 to 12 Months. Home Safety: Here's How. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Please enable scripts and reload this page.
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