Baby Walkers Review

Stationary Activity Centers and Baby Walkers

Many parents are looking for ways to keep their child actively engaged, but they have concerns over baby walkers and their safety.  More injuries happen from baby walkers than any other child toy or equipment; in fact many in the healthcare field strongly discourage the use.  Something to consider in its place is a stationary activity center.  These little centers offer much in the way of entertainment and child development. Some offer pianos, spinning, bouncing and many other toys and activities.

Stationary activity centers are a much safer alternative to a baby walker, your child does not get wheels for mobility but they do get entertainment and stimulation.  Most activity centers are adjustable, which allows it to grow with your baby.  You will get great use out of it for a good 10 to 12 months, which should cover the time between your baby starting to stand and wanting to walk.  However, for those time periods this is a great alternative.

When at the store choosing an activity center do a little research, makes sure it’s sturdy and is level on the ground.  Also, make sure there are no sharp objects; don’t just look in the obvious places but in areas that may catch a foot or knee.  Generally, make sure what you purchase is well designed and that the toys are secure.  You want to make sure that your child is safe and enjoys the center fully.

Not all babies enjoy the activity centers; some are just unsure or scared.  If at all possible try your child out in one first.  If the store you are looking at doesn’t have one out to try ask a clerk, often they will have one available to test.  Also, many stores do allow you to test, so find one that does.

Do you like assembling things?  Then make sure you get one with lots of parts, if you are like most people and do not like it do some research to find out what has the least amount of assembly as possible.  Many come with too many toys that not only add to the assembly time they can actually over stimulate your child.  Whichever way you choose, hard or easy assembly take time on occasion to make sure that everything is maintained well.  Lose screws, sharp edges or tears in fabric can show up even under normal use.

Taking the time to make sure that you have a satisfactory activity center will bring your child entertainment and you some much needed time to use both your hands at once on other activities.

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Baby Walkers Ban

The debate on whether to allow the use of baby walker is continues, opponents continue to get small victories while still not reaching the elusive international ban of their use.  One of the major victories came in April of 2004 when Canada became the first country to ban the use of baby walkers.  The ban was immediate and prohibited Canadian retailers from selling baby walkers or any advertising of such.  Other countries, such as the United States, were also banned from importing.  Last, the selling of used baby walkers were prohibited from being sold, even from garage sales and flea markets.

In 1992 the State of Washington banned baby walkers in all day care centers stating that there is mounting evidence that the walkers a dangerous to children.  On a much smaller other child day cares are refusing to use baby walkers on a company by company basis.   This has to do with both children safety and the potential legal issues surrounding an injury stemming from a baby walker.  In addition many insurance policies will either deny insurance for the use or require the termination of them prior to a policy being issued.

A study showed that in 1991 there were over 29,000 visits to the emergency rooms from the use of baby walkers in the United States alone.  That number was up from slightly over 10,000 in 1980.  From 1990 to 2000 there were over 200,000 visits, however studies are now showing that number to be declining.

Most of the injuries are occurring in older walkers, not the newer ones.  However, most experts state that this does not warrant their use.  Injuries from baby walkers are happening too often for parents to consider their use.

Many experts also consider the use stationary activity centers that give children some mobility as well as activities to entertain them and keep them busy.  Because they are not on wheels injuries are greatly reduced.

Experts agree that there is no need to take the risk by using a baby walker.   Even if injury was 100% eliminated the walker still serves no real purpose, they do not teach the baby to walk and can actually hinder normal progress and development.  If you are looking for something that provides you with a break and entertains your child consider the stationary activity center.

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Are Baby Walkers Safe?

A common concern is whether baby walkers are safe.  The truth is there have been injuries using baby walkers; some have been bad with one notable injury back in 1988 where an 8 month old named Luke Parker received permanent and disfiguring facial injuries.  Sadly, this accident happened while his parents were just inches away.  His father had just stepped away for a moment when Luke raced away and the wheels got caught and he ended up in the fire.  This incident and others sparked an international debate on the child safety of baby walkers.  The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) reports an annual accident rate of 4500 injuries, which is more than any other piece of child equipment.

Although these incidents sparked heated debates, however the purchase of walkers continues to increase.   Manufacturing companies argue that baby walkers may actually save lives or injury.  They base this on a statistic which states that less than 3% of all baby injuries come from baby walkers.   Back in 1985 the Consumer Safety Unit stated that “most mothers who use a baby walker found it to be an essential piece of equipment and very useful”.

On the flip side studies show that the use of baby walkers may hinder a baby’s development, teaching them to walk on their toes which cause leg muscles to tighten.  Obviously, this does not occur with all babies, but does enough to cause a concern.   Babies that used walker scored 12% or lower on mental and physical development than those that never used them (Journal of Development and Behavior Pediatrics).

The majority of injuries occur from falling down stairs and spills from hot liquids, these incidents can cause injuries that are major and leave lasting damages.  So what can you do to limit your baby’s injury chances?  The most obvious one is to not use a baby walker.  Otherwise, consider never using it while upstairs where there is a possibility your child may fall down them.  Don’t use them around fires, especially those where the wheels can get caught or the fire in unguarded.  Supervision is the key, but don’t assume that this alone guarantees your child safety.  Try and limit the use to no more than 20 minutes, this will allow your child time outside the walker to develop proper motor skills and muscle development.   Keep the walker out of the kitchen to limit the chances of hot liquids spilling on your child and in other areas of the house keep hot liquids out of child’s reach.  Last, inspect the walker on occasion to make sure that it is functioning properly.

The author of this article is not a medical person, so take that into consideration.  The best thing you can do is consider the pros and cons to make a choice that is best for you and your child.

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