The number of baby walker injuries plummeted 84 percent from 1990 to 2003.
Then in 2010, a mandatory federal safety standard was enacted, requiring more stringent safety in order to reduce the risk of injury associated with baby walkers. Experts saw a 22 percent drop over the next four years.
So, are baby walkers safer today, in 2018 than they were 25 years ago? Sure. But doctors say they still don’t belong in your home as they pose a “dangerous threat” to your children.
In fact, baby walkers pose such an imminent threat to children, that in 2004, Canada banned them completely, making it illegal to own or sell an infant walker. Possession of a baby walker can lead to fines up to $100,000 or six months in jail.
Still, in some countries, more than 75 percent of children are using baby walkers—and the injuries continue.
Beyond just the risk of injury associated with baby walkers, Pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene tells the New York Times that “walker use typically delays motor development, and it delays mental development even more.”
“Babies who use walkers learn to crawl, stand and walk later than they would have otherwise, and continue to show delayed motor development for months after they have learned to walk,” Greene explains. “The delay seems to be a little more than three days for every 24 hours of total walker use.”
As parents, we assume that if something is being sold and marketed to our children, it should be safe to use. But Dr. Benjamin Hoffman, professor of pediatrics at Oregon Health & Science University, says that’s just not always the case.
“Things happen in an instant, kids are quick and impulsive and parents get distracted even in the most perfect situation,” Hoffman said.
Experts recommend stationary activities, that allow babies to bounce, swivel and rock, as opposed to being mobile on something with wheels.
Lastly, if you have a baby walker in your home, Hoffman says, “Don’t use it.” Dismantle it and throw it away, as selling it simply creates the same threat for a different baby.
