Baby Walkers : Helpful Teaching Tool or Safety Hazard ?
Are baby walkers really as helpful as they are made out to be ? Learn the truth about the safety hazard associated with walkers and better alternates available to help your baby grow.
If you are a new parent then chances are that either you have already been gifted with a walker for your bay or you are probably thinking about buying one. You are probably already mesmerized by all the marketing promotions informing about the benefits of using the walker and beautifully packaged products displayed in the kids section of toy stores.
However, are you aware that 5000+ kids every year get injured due to an injury related to walkers. most of these injuries are head and neck injuries caused by the kid falling down the stairs. In this article, we will discuss different dangers associated with baby walkers and also discuss some potential alternatives you should explore as a parent.
Dangers Associated with Baby Walkers
Following are some of the common ways baby get injured while using the walkers –
1) Falling down the Stairs
This is one of the most common reason for injury to the kid while using the walker. If you have stairs in your home, please avoid using the walker or restrict the walker use to downstairs only.
2) Stepping on something which can hurt their feet
Remember that baby cannot see their feet while using the walker and their vision is also partially restricted with the walker. If you have ever stepped on a piece of block then you will know the pain that we are worried about. now imagine the same thing happening to the baby.
3) Risk of falling over
Babies can move deceptively quickly with the help of a walker. As per APP, baby can move as quickly as 3 Ft per second with the help of a walker which can cause them to tumble and fall down.
4) Risk of Head injury
It is important to understand that if the baby does end up falling, the probability of them getting a head injury is quite high. Babies are really soft and do not have the hardened skull like adults which makes this a serious problem that parents need to think about.
Do Baby Walkers Help Your Child’s Development ?
The answer to that question is No. Even though child seem to be learning to walk through baby walkers, the reality is that the child will only walk once the muscles in the legs are grown enough for them to be able to stand and walk on their own. A Baby walker can actually partially delay the process by making the child use the muscles in a manner different than how they would need while walking on their own.
Can You Still Use Walkers in Some Cases ?
Yes, you can. Provided you are absolutely sure that you can somehow counter all the risks highlighted above and closely monitor your child. However, we will strongly recommend that you first review some of the much safer potential options available in the market today which will help in baby’s growth and will prevent the need for constant monitoring.
Alternatives to Baby Walkers
1) Play Centers / Play Yards
Play Centers are a really good & safer alternatives to baby walkers. Child can play inside the play center and even learn to stand and walk with the help of the sides. Nowadays play centers come with removable fabric seats which are very comfortable and can be easily cleaned when needed.
2) Push Walkers
Push walkers are also a viable alternative to traditional walkers. These walkers work in a slightly different manner and allow the parents to pre-set the speed at which walker can move making it less of a hazard than traditional walker. However, some of the safety factors could still be valid for push walkers.
Do you have any additional alternative that you would like to share with us ? Please let us know through your comments below.
