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Baby Walkers

Guidelines For The Safe Use Of Baby Walkers
Executive summary about Baby Walker By Sharon A Bell

Canada has banned the use of dangerous baby walkers. Unfortunately, other countries have yet to do the same.

Since 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics has asked the Consumer Product Safety Commission to do the same. But that request has been denied although the proposed ban is supported by the Consumer Federation of America, the American Medical Association and other concerned groups.

“Opponents of the proposed ban argue that stairs cause most injuries, not the walkers. But since it’s impossible to eliminate stairs, it’s advisable to stop using walkers,” said the editors of Health News.

To appease consumer groups, some manufacturers have redesigned their walkers and have come up with safety features. Still, the fact remains that many walkers are dangerous and pose a threat to your child.

If your child doesn’t have a walker, don’t make the mistake of buying one. If you decide to get one, choose a model that is too wide to fit through doorways and pay close attention to your child. In Consumer Reports’ Guide to Baby Products, Sandy Jones and Werner Freitag offer the following advice:

Remove the walker’s wheels to prevent infants from moving too fast and making them more prone to accidents.

Never leave the child unattended.

Never use walkers near stairs, steps, or thresholds. Check that surfaces are flat and free of objects that may cause tripping-over either indoors or outdoors.

- Maftuha -

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