Baby walkers have come a long way from being instruments that ‘helped children walk & behave upright’ in the 17th century to being totally banned in countries like Canada in 2004. What is the outlook on walkers today? Should I buy my baby a baby walker to help him/her walk faster? When should you buy a baby walker?
The answer is never. Baby walkers are not at all safe. Here’s why you should not let your child use a baby walker:
A Baby Walker Hinders Development:
It’s so exciting to see your child sit up for the first time! You just can’t wait for your baby to start walking. What’s the harm in skipping crawling?
There is a reason why babies crawl before they walk. Crawling requires your baby to use both halves of their brain and to learn to perceive depth and balance. All these skills are essential when they start walking.
If your baby is given the choice of zipping around in a walker, s/he is less likely to spend time on the floor. Spending time on the floor trying to roll, sit up, pulling themselves upright or crawling helps kids’ muscles develop. These activities ensure that your kid will have enough muscle strength when s/he begins to walk. Walkers may strengthen your child’s lower legs, but they don’t strengthen your child’s hips and upper legs.
One study even suggested that babies who use walkers learn to walk later than those who are allowed to learn walking at their own pace. Doctors believe it is because babies in walkers cannot see their legs. Thus, they cannot learn what type of movement helps him achieve his/her goal.
Babies tend to walk on their toes when they use a walker. Your kid may continue to do this when s/he starts to walk. This may cause your baby’s leg muscles to become tight.
Baby Walkers put your Baby at risk for Injuries:
Walkers allow your child to move around quickly before s/he is old enough to control what s/he is doing. Most common injuries with walkers occur when kids fall over objects or down stairs. Kids in walkers can move about 3 feet in a second! You may be unable to respond quickly enough. And your child may injure themselves right in front of your eyes.
Baby walkers give your child additional height and access to objects like electrical cords, knives, candles, diyas, agarbattis, hot cups of tea which can cause burns either when they touch them or when they topple these items onto themselves. It also lets your child get hold of household poisons like perfumes, medicines, mouthwash, cleaning liquids etc. These objects may have been hard to reach earlier, but now can find their way into your baby’s mouth.
While regulations like mandatory brakes and wider frames that do not let your kid out of the room have reduced the number of injuries, walkers have still not become one hundred percent safe. Friction strips tend to become less effective after they wear off or accumulate dirt and depend on the kind of flooring you have too. If your kid is quite strong, s/he may be able to overcome the brake too.
What are the options?
Activity mats and stationary play centers allow kids to strengthen their muscles while exploring their surroundings. Even if you do use these alternatives, they should not be used for long stretches of time.
Walkers are a popular gift in our country. Do share this article with your friends and family before they inadvertently gift such a hazardous object to some one’s baby!
Dr. Mandar Agashe is a Child Bone Specialist in Mumbai. Feel free to contact Dr. Agashe for any queries related to your child’s bone or muscle development. Dr. Agashe can be reached at Agashe’s Paediatric SuperSpeciality Care at Kurla or via phone at 022 42435000 or via email at contactus@agashehospital.com.
