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WALKERS
Wave the walker Like any keep-baby-busy device, if used sparingly and
under supervision, walkers can be fun. They are especially useful for the
between-jobs baby who can't yet cruise or stand but wants to move across the
room. This moving crutch may also be used to placate a baby who is in a hold-me-
not mood but wants to stand up close to mother. A few minutes spent and a few
steps safely taken in a walker each day won't harm baby, but too much time in
his first little car is neither safe nor healthy.
We discourage the use of walkers or any device that encourages baby to rely on outside assistance for locomotion rather than on his own creativity or initiative. Walkers reverse the normal process of neurological development, giving the lower half of the body an ability that the upper half is not yet ready to cope with. Studies have shown that infants who spend a large portion of their day in walkers may exhibit delayed motor skills, especially in learning to walk correctly. Safety is an additional concern. During baby's first year, walker
accidents rank near the top of the list. Babies can get up enough speed to crash
through gates, fall down stairs, and wander into areas that have dangerous
cleaning chemicals and other hazards. If a friend gives your baby a walker,
consider letting this device join its mates, the crib and playpen, at your next
garage sale. Above all, NEVER LEAVE A BABY IN A WALKER UNATTENDED.
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