Are walkers really bad for babies?

diymummy

Moderator
I've heard about people saying that walkers (those sit-in type) delays babies from learning how to walk. Anyone using walkers for their babies? Does it affect your baby learning to stand and walk?

I bought a walker for my son 3 mths ago and he has been sitting in it all these while. He can stand in it for a short while but he likes to tip-toe and he also likes to jump in the walker -.-" Without the walker he crawls but still cannot sit up on his own or stand.

When we try to help him stand, he will stand for a while, sometimes tip-toe, and then his legs will just give way. Is this normal?
 

thepinkdot

Well-Known Member
we started the walker only after she can sit on her own and stand by pulling herself up. you might have started him too early on the walker.. maybe take away and introduce more playtime on the floor for him to learn how to sit or stand.
 

Ting

Well-Known Member
6 mths might be a bit too early.
but no, walker isnt bad for kids.
pin used the walker arnd 7-8 mths is i rmb correctly.
arnd 9-10 mths she can push herself up n walk along the tables, supporting herself.
b4 12 mths, she can walk by herself without support (though a bit wobbly).
its normal if they walk on their tippy toes, it'll die off eventually.
 

apollo

Well-Known Member
i read from some web saying that walkers is bad for babies' legs but i've yet to ask for pediatrician's advices...
 

snowbear

Well-Known Member
I think 6mths is a bit too early to start on the walker. My neighbour also started her dd on the walker at 6mths and at 10mths, she still can't crawl and even can't sit properly on her own. I think babies 6-8mths shld have more time on the ground for them to discover what they can do. Some pp say that walker causes bb to tip-toe when walking next time and also may cause them to walk a little strange. Not sure about that since I didn't give my dd the walker.
 

diymummy

Moderator
ooo... i let my son sit only once when he was 6 months... now he's 9 and is it more... i think i'll stop letting him sit in it too much... :X
 

apollo

Well-Known Member
I think 6mths is a bit too early to start on the walker. My neighbour also started her dear daughter on the walker at 6mths and at 10mths, she still can't crawl and even can't sit properly on her own. I think babies 6-8mths shld have more time on the ground for them to discover what they can do. Some pp say that walker causes baby to tip-toe when walking next time and also may cause them to walk a little strange. Not sure about that since I didn't give my dear daughter the walker.
i have a friend, she put her son in walker when he was only 3 mth old!!! OMG!!! she still goes ard telling ppl how 'clever' her son is, 3mth old only can sit walker alrdy and kept 'encourage' me to give ds walker... i dont mind letting ds sit on walker but not so soon and not so frequent... but of cos, if can dont give better... haha..
 

chiro

Active Member
my son only use walker when its his feeding time..other than that want to be on the ground..or being carried..
 
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chiro

Active Member
April 2007

Baby walkers
A traditional walker, consisting of a molded plastic or metal frame with a suspended center seat and wheels attached to the base, gives a baby a quick way to get around before he can walk. Most are designed for a child of 4 to 16 months—or whenever a child begins to walk, usually around a year old. Don't use a walker once your baby can walk unassisted.
Walkers can keep a child away from certain dangers or let him follow you around the house—but they also raise concerns about safety and a child's normal development. Despite the name, a walker doesn't help a baby acquire walking skills. Walkers can strengthen lower leg muscles, but not the upper leg and hip muscles your baby will use most. Studies have shown that walkers may even delay a baby's desire to walk unassisted because he can scoot around too easily. More important, some walkers pose a significant risk of injury. Old-style walkers can fall down stairs or steps. They can turn over when their wheels get snagged, or roll up against hot stoves and heaters. Outdoors, they can fall off decks and patios, over curbs, and into swimming pools. Many accidents involving walkers occur despite the presence of safety gates—either because the gates were closed incorrectly or they didn't hold up against the impact of the walker.

A second-generation voluntary safety standard was issued for walkers in 1997 to protect against stairway falls. According to this standard, walkers must have a bottom friction strip made of rubberized material to stop the walker if its wheels drop away at the edge of a step. Walker-related incidents have declined since the 1997 standard was introduced. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that in 1992, walkers were involved in 25,700 injuries to children younger than 15 months who were treated in hospital emergency rooms. In 2003 (the latest government data), the number dropped to 3,200 such injuries, an 88 percent reduction.
Despite these promising statistics, the American Academy of Pediatrics urges parents not to use traditional baby walkers, and even recommended the U.S. government ban wheeled walkers. Since April 2004, the Canadian government has prohibited new and used baby walkers from being advertised, sold, or imported. However, baby walkers that don't conform to the nationally recognized stair-fall safety standard continue to be manufactured in the U.S. and abroad. The CPSC has put manufacturers, importers, and retailers of baby walkers on notice, urging them to continually review their product line to make sure all walkers they sell comply with the standard. Any walker they sell that doesn't meet this voluntary safety standard is considered defective and will be recalled from the marketplace. We agree that walkers can pose a safety hazard--even those that meet the safety standard—and believe there are plenty of safer alternatives, including stationary activity centers.


SHOPPING SECRETS

Safety first. Select a model with a wheelbase that's longer and wider than the frame of the walker to ensure stability.

Practice collapsing display models in the store. Make sure the folding mechanism works well. In our tests, some models, such as the Safety 1st Grip 'N' Go ($40), pinched a finger when it was unfolded. (See our baby walker Ratings, available to subscribers.)

Don't buy a walk-behind walker. Some walkers, such as the Kolcraft Tiny Steps 2-in-1 Activity Walker #14570 ($60), can be converted to a walk-behind walker; once they're able, babies have the option of scooting around on foot by pushing the walker from behind. We consider walk-behind units dangerous because a baby could push the walker down stairs. Avoid these models or simply don't convert them into walk-behind mode.

Take your baby with you. When you're shopping, make sure his feet can touch the ground on the seat's lowest setting.

Examine attachments. Look for small toys or parts that can break off or screws that can loosen. Toys and parts should be firmly attached.


What's Available
The major brands of traditional, wheeled baby walkers are, in alphabetical order, Baby Trend (www.babytrend.com), Delta Enterprise (www.deltaenterprise.com), Dream on Me (www.dreamonme.com), Kolcraft (www.kolcraft.com), and Safety 1st (www.safety1st.com).
Also called "mobile entertainers" or "mobile activity centers," walkers are usually rectangular, but come in different shapes, such as a small car. Many have optional toy bars and toys, with or without sound and lights, and sometimes a mock steering wheel. Some also have a large snack tray with cup holder. Prices range from $30 to $80.


Recommendations
Even with friction strips, a conventional walker isn't 100 percent safe. Consider a stationary activity center instead. One walker we can recommend is the top-rated Bright Starts Around We Go because it is attached to an anchored activity station, limiting its area of use. (See our baby walker Ratings, available to subscribers.)
We rated the The Kolcraft Tiny Steps 2-in-1 model #14565 Not Acceptable because it failed the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) test for prevention of falls down stairs, and have urged the manufacturer and the CPSC to recall it. This Kolcraft model, discontinued but still available in stores, is certified by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) to meet the ASTM safety standard. A JPMA certification, however, is not an indicator of a safer infant walker.
Walkers do poorly on carpet, so reconsider if your house doesn't have hardwood, tile, or linoleum flooring. Babies on wheels can be surprisingly swift. When your baby is in walker mode, keep a close eye on your now-mobile baby.
Other precautions: Use a walker only in a room that doesn't have access to stairs leading down, and block access to stairs and the outside while the walker is in use. Clear objects off tables, counter, and stove-tops that a baby in a walker might be able to reach. Make sure any springs and hinges on the walker have protective coverings. Finally, don't carry a walker with your baby in it. It's too easy for you to trip.
 

littlehelper

Active Member
Generally i think it is bad for the kids especially if they have not learn to sit and they are introduced to it, they will rely very much on it.
Also later on most kids who use the walker tend to walk on tip-toes without realising it.And even when asked not to, they will still do it cos it is like a habit that they learnt.
 

jasobias

Well-Known Member
hmm,actually all thts mentioned is not all tru.I introduced my 2 boys to the walker when they were about 3 months.It was adjustable so their feet were always touching the ground.They learned how to walk at 9-10 months and by 1 year of age they were running.
 
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nsync_su

Active Member
I've heard about people saying that walkers (those sit-in type) delays babies from learning how to walk. Anyone using walkers for their babies? Does it affect your baby learning to stand and walk?

I bought a walker for my son 3 mths ago and he has been sitting in it all these while. He can stand in it for a short while but he likes to tip-toe and he also likes to jump in the walker -.-" Without the walker he crawls but still cannot sit up on his own or stand.

When we try to help him stand, he will stand for a while, sometimes tip-toe, and then his legs will just give way. Is this normal?
I put my daughter in the walker when she was 4months old and by 8 months old, she's already walking. By 10th month, she's already running. Maybe it also depends on the kid itself. Mine was very eager to walk so she really trained herself fast.
 

jasobias

Well-Known Member
I put my daughter in the walker when she was 4months old and by 8 months old, she's already walking. By 10th month, she's already running. Maybe it also depends on the kid itself. Mine was very eager to walk so she really trained herself fast.
ya i think its only dangerous if u leave ur kid in it then dont watch them.I have seen many parents do tht,put kid in walker then go abt doing their own stuff..thts like an accident waiting to happen.Leg massages also help i think to strengthen legs.My little girl is 2 months old but she keeps wanting us to stand her up.Might put her in walker early too.Depends on babys weight too,if baby is on fat side easier to fit him in properly.
 

stonston

Well-Known Member
Walker is fine if you get a good one plus adjust the height well. The baby should not be 'dangling'.

Walker is NOT your babysitter. It requires adult supervision. Make sure there's no steps at home cos baby can topple. Keep all dangerous stuff away (include tablecloth which can be pulled). Exposed wiring/sockets, etc.

I did not put my boy in a walker AT ALL cos my parent's place is full of hazards & can't possibly make my bro & sis clear. The closest thing he got was an exersaucer in which he sits in there less than 30min a day. He prefers to stand outside it to play with the toys. He was instead placed inside a large play yard & allowed to roam freely inside with firm mattress as padding. I was looking through my boy's old videos/photos & realised he could pull himself to stand & cruise at 6mths. By 10-11mths he was walking steadily unaided.

It's your choice. As long as you use it cautiously, I think it's fine.
 

Frenchkitty

Member



This is my son in his walker at 3.5mths old!!
It was a gift from FIL and we needed to put him in it for his Lunar 4th month prayer as some custom thingy which symbols "quai gao zhang da" as in your baby can learn to walk already..

As you can see in his photos, he can already hold his head up and his feet were touchin the ground and not tip-toeing thats why I agreed to put him inside.. Otherwise, I wont.
Even so, I make sure he is under adult supervision at all times.

Ever since that prayer, Ive not put him in it again. Decide to hold out till he is older bcos i m super kiasi.
Up to you to assess whether your baby is ready for walker.
 

nsync_su

Active Member
ya i think its only dangerous if you leave your kid in it then dont watch them.I have seen many parents do tht,put kid in walker then go about doing their own stuff..thts like an accident waiting to happen.Leg massages also help i think to strengthen legs.My little girl is 2 months old but she keeps wanting us to stand her up.Might put her in walker early too.Depends on babys weight too,if baby is on fat side easier to fit him in properly.
Very very true... agrees with u and stonston. Walker is obviously NOT a babysitter. I put my daughter in it and played with her. Called her name and letting her move towards me. Its an interactive thing and not just by putting the child there and leave them alone. Totally defeat the purpose!
 
I think it is up to the individual to decide, but it isn't necessary. Children will eventually learn how to walk with or without the walker.My gal walked at 13.5 mths and never used a walker.

Walking happens when the child is physically ready. All you need to do is to give encouragement :)
 

jojoki

Well-Known Member
apparently walkers are NOT GOOD for babies. My OT fren advise against letting my bb use walker as it places a lot of strain on the hips. Crawling sitting n walking happens with ur babies certain neurons myelinate... all said.. walkers have been around for ages! I personally think its harmless :)
 

uddermummy

Well-Known Member
i agree with palindrome. Bbs will walk when they are ready to. :)

personally not that keen on walkers cos i feel that it's dangerous (no brakes!) for bbs to scoot around so fast.

Not that keen on chasing after my dd when she's on wheels and I'm not! hahahaha.
 

meiteoh

Well-Known Member
A friend of mine was told by a paed that walkers can hinder muscle development in the legs, particularly behind the knees, and may result in weaker muscle tone. :/
 
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