<p>''About 2000 children are killed everyday as a result of preventable injuries worldwide. For decades, Baby Walkers have been identified as potentially hazardous to children.” - The Lancet, February 2009<br /><br /></p>.<p>During medieval times, some Europeans and Asians religiously thought that in order to keep humans from imitating animals in anyway, babies should not be allowed to crawl. As an alternative, babies were strapped upright into baby seats and mobile walkers.<br /><br />Early walker devices can be seen in 14th and 15th century works of art including the illustrated manuscript, The hours of Catherine of Cleves from 1440, and the Temptation of Saint Anthony by Jheronimus Bosch, from the early 1500s.<br /><br />Baby walkers are fun and keep your child alert. But it also allows mobility beyond his/her natural capability or faster than a parent’s reaction time.<br /><br />Babies almost universally love them, and parents love to use them because they may keep an otherwise fussy baby entertained, often for hours. There are several type of baby walkers, but most people are familiar with the typical plastic base, wheeled frame and fabric seat that have holes to allow the child to scoot along the floor. Parents like to believe that the walker provides entertainment, ensure their child learns to walk, gets exercise, etc. Some parents even like to believe that the walker keeps their infant safe. <br />Unfortunately, none of these are true.<br /><br />Baby walkers are one of the most dangerous inventions made for children, causing a lot of harm and heartache. Many infants are injured when they use a mobile infant walker. <br />Infants could:<br /><br />- Trip and fall over<br />- Roll down the stairs<br />- Injure fingers and toes.<br />- Burn themselves by crashing into hot surfaces (heater, bathtubs). <br />- Drown – falling into a pool or bathtub or any other water source.<br />- Get poisoned – baby walkers create access to household objects that are otherwise <br />kept out of their reach (perfume, alcohol)<br /><br />Babies who use walkers tend to have an abnormal gait but this usually resolves quickly with time. Walkers do not affect the time at which a child learns to walk. Studies have shown that if there is any effect with walking, it is a delay of a few weeks. <br /><br />While rolling with a walker, the baby doesn’t understand the concept of uneven surfaces, steps and obstacles, because the walker cannot be operated on such surfaces. The child then is not exposed to the nuances of walking or surfaces. <br /><br />Tips for caretakers<br /><br />- As 75 per cent of the injuries are related to falls on the staircase, do not use a walker near it, even if you have a gate.<br /><br />- Close the door or gate at the top of the stairs.<br />- Keep your child within view<br />- Keep children away from hot surfaces and containers<br />- Beware of dangling appliance cords<br />- Keep children away from toilets, swimming pool, and water sources<br /><br />Most of the above-mentioned hazards are not caused because the walker itself is dangerous, but because it makes your child more mobile. This can cause injuries if your house isn’t child-proofed. </p>
<p>''About 2000 children are killed everyday as a result of preventable injuries worldwide. For decades, Baby Walkers have been identified as potentially hazardous to children.” - The Lancet, February 2009<br /><br /></p>.<p>During medieval times, some Europeans and Asians religiously thought that in order to keep humans from imitating animals in anyway, babies should not be allowed to crawl. As an alternative, babies were strapped upright into baby seats and mobile walkers.<br /><br />Early walker devices can be seen in 14th and 15th century works of art including the illustrated manuscript, The hours of Catherine of Cleves from 1440, and the Temptation of Saint Anthony by Jheronimus Bosch, from the early 1500s.<br /><br />Baby walkers are fun and keep your child alert. But it also allows mobility beyond his/her natural capability or faster than a parent’s reaction time.<br /><br />Babies almost universally love them, and parents love to use them because they may keep an otherwise fussy baby entertained, often for hours. There are several type of baby walkers, but most people are familiar with the typical plastic base, wheeled frame and fabric seat that have holes to allow the child to scoot along the floor. Parents like to believe that the walker provides entertainment, ensure their child learns to walk, gets exercise, etc. Some parents even like to believe that the walker keeps their infant safe. <br />Unfortunately, none of these are true.<br /><br />Baby walkers are one of the most dangerous inventions made for children, causing a lot of harm and heartache. Many infants are injured when they use a mobile infant walker. <br />Infants could:<br /><br />- Trip and fall over<br />- Roll down the stairs<br />- Injure fingers and toes.<br />- Burn themselves by crashing into hot surfaces (heater, bathtubs). <br />- Drown – falling into a pool or bathtub or any other water source.<br />- Get poisoned – baby walkers create access to household objects that are otherwise <br />kept out of their reach (perfume, alcohol)<br /><br />Babies who use walkers tend to have an abnormal gait but this usually resolves quickly with time. Walkers do not affect the time at which a child learns to walk. Studies have shown that if there is any effect with walking, it is a delay of a few weeks. <br /><br />While rolling with a walker, the baby doesn’t understand the concept of uneven surfaces, steps and obstacles, because the walker cannot be operated on such surfaces. The child then is not exposed to the nuances of walking or surfaces. <br /><br />Tips for caretakers<br /><br />- As 75 per cent of the injuries are related to falls on the staircase, do not use a walker near it, even if you have a gate.<br /><br />- Close the door or gate at the top of the stairs.<br />- Keep your child within view<br />- Keep children away from hot surfaces and containers<br />- Beware of dangling appliance cords<br />- Keep children away from toilets, swimming pool, and water sources<br /><br />Most of the above-mentioned hazards are not caused because the walker itself is dangerous, but because it makes your child more mobile. This can cause injuries if your house isn’t child-proofed. </p>
