Baby Walkers

Forty-three mother-infant dyads were recruited to determine the relationship between both total equipment use and the use of individual pieces of equipment and infant motor development. At 8 months of age, total and individual equipment use was determined by parental survey and infant motor development was assessed using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale. Statistically significant correlations were found for the relationships between total equipment use and infant motor development. The findings suggested that infants who have high equipment use tend to score lower on infant motor development or that infants who have low equipment use tend to score higher on infant motor development.
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/324/7352/1494?view=full&pmid=12077035

Babywalkers: They delay development, cause injuries, and we should consider banning them

Previous reports have suggested that development is affected adversely by babywalkers. Along with that in the BMJ, these were observational or questionnaire based studies and not randomised control trials. Some inconsistencies exist regarding which milestones were affected, probably reflecting comparatively low numbers of children in the studies, but overall evidence shows significant developmental delays associated with babywalkers. Anecdotal reports note adverse effects from the use of babywalkers in a child with cerebral palsy and even the development of cerebral palsy-like symptoms in apparently normal children. No published data are available that imply that development may have benefited, although this is a common reason why parents choose to use babywalkers.

Brent Taylor   BMJ 2002 (Sep 21);   325 (7365 ):   612

 

Injury caused by baby walkers: the predicted outcomes of mandatory regulations

A look at banning baby walker injuries showed: About half (46%; 95% CI, 32.5%-59.8%) of the serious baby-walker injuries (ie, requiring admission to hospital) are caused by the walker enabling babies to reach hazards other than steps and stairs. The New South Wales regulation has the potential to eliminate only about half the baby-walker injuries. Banning baby walkers altogether is preferable

Thompson PG.   Injury caused by baby walkers: the predicted outcomes of mandatory regulations   Med J Aust 2002 (Aug 5);   177 (3):   147-148

 

Baby Walkers: Cause of Developmental Delay and Injuries

This study provides additional evidence that babywalkers are associated with delay in achieving normal locomotor milestones.Additionally, babywalkers are known to increase the risk of injuries in infancy. The authors of this BMJ article recommend discouraging the use of infant walkers.

M Garrett, A M McElroy, A Staines   Locomotor milestones and babywalkers: cross sectional study   BMJ 2002 (Jun 22);   324 (7352):   1494

 

Injuries associated with infant walkers

In 1999, an estimated 8800 children younger than 15 months were treated in hospital emergency departments in the United States for injuries associated with infant walkers. Thirty-four infant walker-related deaths were reported from 1973 through 1998. The vast majority of injuries occur from falls down stairs, and head injuries are common. Walkers do not help a child learn to walk; indeed, they can delay normal motor and mental development.

The use of warning labels, public education, adult supervision during walker use, and stair gates have all been demonstrated to be insufficient strategies to prevent injuries associated with infant walkers. To comply with the revised voluntary standard (ASTM F977-96), walkers manufactured after June 30, 1997, must be wider than a 36-in doorway or must have a braking mechanism designed to stop the walker if 1 or more wheels drop off the riding surface, such as at the top of a stairway. Because data indicate a considerable risk of major and minor injury and even death from the use of infant walkers, and because there is no clear benefit from their use, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a ban on the manufacture and sale of mobile infant walkers.

If a parent insists on using a mobile infant walker, it is vital that they choose a walker that meets the performance standards of ASTM F977-96 to prevent falls down stairs. Stationary activity centers should be promoted as a safer alternative to mobile infant walkers.

Injuries associated with infant walkers   Written by the American Academy of Pediatrics "Committee on Injury and Poison Prevention"   Published in:   Pediatrics 2001 (Sep);   108 (3):   790-792

 

Locomotor milestones and babywalkers: cross sectional study

Few guidelines promoting good health in children are available. Investigations into the development of standing and walking in infants who used babywalkers (wheeled seats that allow infants to move around with their feet on the floor) obtained conflicting results. Crouchman (64 infants) and Siegel and Burton (109 infants) found that the use of babywalkers was associated with delay in crawling

This study provides additional evidence that babywalkers are associated with delay in achieving normal locomotor milestones. Babywalkers are known to increase the risk of injuries in infancy. The use of babywalkers should be discouraged.

M Garrett, A M McElroy, A Staines   Locomotor milestones and babywalkers: cross sectional study   BMJ 2002 (Jun 22);   324 (7352):   1494

 

Infant walker use, injuries, and motor development

12.5% of walker users had one or more injuries and walker use may also delay the child's motor development. These findings will help the practitioner in primary care settings to advise parents about the potential hazards of walker use.

M. M. Thein, J. Lee, V. Tay and S. L. Ling   Infant walker use, injuries and motor development   Injury Prevention 1997:   3 (1):   63-66

 

Effects of baby walkers on motor and mental development in human infants

Because baby walkers enable precocious locomotion in very young, otherwise prelocomotor infants, walker experience might be conceptualized in terms of early enrichment. However, walker devices prevent visual access to the moving limbs by design. Therefore, prelocomotor walker experience may be conceptualized in terms of early deprivation, reminiscent of that created in a classic series of animal experiments on the critical role of visual feedback in developing motor systems. This study analyzed motor and mental development in 109 human infants, with and without walker experience, between the ages of 6 and 15 months. Walker-experienced infants sat, crawled, and walked later than no-walker controls, and they scored lower on Bayley scales of mental and motor development. Significant effects of walker type, frequency, and timing of walker exposure were observed. Considering the injury data along with the developmental data, the authors conclude that the risks of walker use outweigh the benefits.

Siegel AC, Burton RV   Effects of babywalkers on early locomotor development in human infants   J Dev Behav Pediatr 1999 (Oct);   20 (5):   355-361

 

The effects of babywalkers on early locomotor development

The mothers of 66 infants were interviewed to obtain information on their children's motor development. The children were divided into three groups according to the length of time they spent in a babywalker. There was no difference between the groups in age at onset of sitting or walking, but children in the high-user group showed a significant delay in onset of prone locomotion compared with the low-user and non-user groups. This suggests that for some infants the excessive use of babywalkers alters the pathway of normal locomotor development.

Crouchman M.   The effects of babywalkers on early locomotor development   Dev Med Child Neurol 1986 (Dec);   28 (6):   757-761

 

Influence of infant-walkers on motor development: Mimicking spastic diplegia?

As illustrated by the literature, infant walkers do not have any positive effect on improving motor development. Vulnerability of infants with regards to accidents is increased. In our opinion, the use of infant-walkers should be discouraged.

Engelbert RH, van Empelen R, Scheurer ND, Helders PJ, van Nieuwenhuizen O   Influence of infant-walkers on motor development: mimicking spastic diplegia?   Eur J Paediatr Neurol 1999;   3 (6):   273-275

 

Research Supports Chiropractor Views on Baby Walkers

Late-breaking research supports many chiropractors' long-held belief that baby walkers hinder infants' physical and intellectual growth, according to paper released in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.

The study looked at 109 infants from the Buffalo, New York area.  Half of the subjects had used a walker, and half never used a walker. The infants were first tested at 6, 9, or 12 months of age, and again three months later, using a standard measure of physical and mental development. The study found that children who used walkers were slower than other infants to sit upright, crawl and walk. They also scored lower on early tests of mental and physical development, compared with other infants. Children who use new-style walkers with large trays were at the highest risk, according to the report. The new walkers obstruct infants' view of their feet and prevent children from grabbing at and investigating objects, interfering with the development of motor skills, say researchers.

Siegel AC, Burton RV   Effects of baby walkers on motor and mental development in human infants   J Dev Behav Pediatr 1999 (Oct);   20 (5):   355-361