Baby walker

Last updated
A baby in a baby walker, 1905 Learning to walk.png
A baby in a baby walker, 1905
A 6-month-old child sitting in a baby walker 6 mesiachnyi rebenok sidit na detskoi khodun'ke.jpg
A 6-month-old child sitting in a baby walker

A baby walker is a device that can be used by infants who cannot walk on their own to move from one place to another. Modern baby walkers are also for toddlers. They have a base made of hard plastic sitting on top of wheels and a suspended fabric seat with two leg holes. In the US, baby walkers are responsible for about 2000 injuries annually to children serious enough to require a trip to the emergency room, prompting calls from pediatricians for their outright ban.

Contents

Cause of developmental delays

Many parents believe that such walkers teach a child to walk faster. However, they may actually delay walking by two to three weeks for a typical child. [1] The amount of use matters; for every 24 hours babies spend in a baby walker (for example, one hour per day for 24 days), they learn to walk three days later and to stand four days later than they would have. [2]

Safety issues

Baby walkers have also led to many preventable injuries caused by tripping, toppling over, or skidding on wet floors. [3] [4] [5] These include injuries from falling down stairs while moving around in the baby walker, often with injuries that are worse than typical for falling down the stairs. [6] Walkers allow babies to reach areas they otherwise couldn't, including pools, bathtubs, and kitchens, where they can be at risk for burns from pulling boiling food off stovetops. [7] The total number of baby walker-related injuries is likely an underestimation because there are more than 40 different terms used in academic or news reports for these devices, [8] thus complicating a tally of the number of device-related injuries.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, American Academy of Pediatrics, Kids In Danger, and other organizations have issued warnings to discourage parents from using baby walkers. Direct education of parents in a medical setting reduces parents' willingness to use these devices. [6] [9]

In Canada, the sale of baby walkers was banned on April 7, 2004. [10] [11] [12] Canada is the first country in the world to ban the sale, importation and advertisement of baby walkers. This ban extends to modified and second hand baby walkers, including those sold at a yard sales or flea markets. [10] The Canadian Consumers Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) changed the items that were allowed to be sold at such sales. [13] Owners of baby walkers may be fined up to CA $100,000 or sentenced to up to six months in jail. [14] [5]

In the United States, annual baby-walker-related injuries dropped from around 21,000 in 1990 to around 3,200 in 2003, attributed to publicity about the danger of such devices and voluntary safety improvements by manufacturers. [7] Eight babies died from such injuries between 2004 and 2008. [7] Annual injuries dropped a further 23% after mandatory U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission standards (adopted in 2010) went into effect, including testing requirements and brakes to prevent stair falls. [7]

Alternatives

A toy with four wheels and a handle at the top. A toddler can stand behind this toy and push it while walking. Baby Walker (50842018142).jpg
A toy with four wheels and a handle at the top. A toddler can stand behind this toy and push it while walking.

Parent-assisted baby walkers were developed as an alternative to traditional baby walkers. These types of baby walkers differ greatly from traditional baby walkers as they have no wheels and require full parent assistance while in use. The design of modern parent-assisted baby walkers is similar to leading strings in that the child is suspended upright from straps while learning to walk. Parent-assisted baby walkers offer a safer method for teaching a child to walk over traditional baby walkers that can be unattended while in use. [15]

History

Jesus in a baby walker, The Hours of Catherine of Cleves, c. 1440 Jesus in a baby walker from the Hours of Catherine of Cleves.jpg
Jesus in a baby walker, The Hours of Catherine of Cleves, c. 1440
Portrait of Maria Apollonia of Savoy (1594-1656) Kraeck, circle of - Maria Apollonia of Savoy, Stupinigi.jpg
Portrait of Maria Apollonia of Savoy (1594–1656)
A French painting including a baby walker Very Haughty and Very Mighty Legitimist Brats MET DP818678.jpg
A French painting including a baby walker

Baby walkers were known as early as the 15th century in Europe. An illumination in the Hours of Catherine of Cleves, a Dutch manuscript from that time, depicts the infant Jesus in a wooden baby walker. [16]

Go-cart was a common historical name for the wheeled version. [17] Other alternatives were also used. A baby-runner was a padded wooden ring, set at the height of the baby's waist, on a pole that was fixed into the floor and ceiling. The baby was placed inside the ring and able to move in a circle around the pole. This prevented the baby from reaching dangerous places, such as hot ovens. [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infant formula</span> Manufactured food designed for feeding infants

Infant formula, also called baby formula, simply formula, baby milk or infant milk, is designed and marketed for feeding to babies and infants under 12 months of age, usually prepared for bottle-feeding or cup-feeding from powder or liquid. The U.S. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) defines infant formula as "a food which purports to be or is represented for special dietary use solely as a food for infants by reason of its simulation of human milk or its suitability as a complete or partial substitute for human milk".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SIDS</span> Sudden unexplained death of a child who is less than one year of age

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), sometimes known as cot death, is the sudden unexplained death of a child of less than one year of age. Diagnosis requires that the death remain unexplained even after a thorough autopsy and detailed death scene investigation. SIDS usually occurs during sleep. Typically death occurs between the hours of midnight and 9:00 a.m. There is usually no noise or evidence of struggle. SIDS remains the leading cause of infant mortality in Western countries, constituting half of all post-neonatal deaths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baby bottle</span> Bottle containing liquid (usually milk or formula) to nourish infant

A baby bottle, nursing bottle, or feeding bottle is a bottle with a teat attached to it, which creates the ability to drink via suckling. It is typically used by infants and young children, or if someone cannot drink from a cup, for feeding oneself or being fed. It can also be used to feed non-human mammals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Child harness</span> Safety device worn by children

A child harness is a safety device sometimes worn by children when walking with a parent or carer. Child harnesses are most commonly used with toddlers and children of preschool age, though they may also be used with older children, especially if they have special supervisory needs such as ADHD or autism. Various types exist, though all are worn by the child and have a lead (tether) or rein which is held by a parent or caregiver. As child harness designs and purposes have evolved with cultural norms and parenting techniques, they have become subject to common debate.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is the largest professional association of pediatricians in the United States. It is headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, and maintains an office in Washington, D.C. The AAP has published hundreds of policy statements, ranging from advocacy issues to practice recommendations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Babywearing</span> Wearing or carrying a baby in a sling

Babywearing is the practice of wearing or carrying a baby in a sling or in another form of carrier. Babywearing has been practiced for millennia around the world. Babywearing is a form of baby transport which can be used for as long as mutually desired, often until toddlerhood and beyond. In the industrialized world, babywearing has gained popularity in recent decades. Part of the reason for this shift is due to the influence of advocates of attachment parenting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bicycle helmet</span> Type of helmet

A bicycle helmet is a type of helmet designed to attenuate impacts to the head of a cyclist in collisions while minimizing side effects such as interference with peripheral vision.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacifier</span> Rubber, plastic or silicone nipple for infants or toddlers to suck upon

A pacifier is a rubber, plastic, or silicone nipple substitute given to an infant or toddler to suckle upon between feedings to quiet its distress by satisfying the need to suck when it does not need to eat. Pacifiers normally have three parts: an elongated teat, a handle, and a mouth shield which prevents the child from swallowing or choking on it.

The International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes is an international health policy framework for breastfeeding promotion adopted by the World Health Assembly (WHA) of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1981. The Code was developed as a global public health strategy and recommends restrictions on the marketing of breast milk substitutes, such as infant formula, to ensure that mothers are not discouraged from breastfeeding and that substitutes are used safely if needed. The Code also covers ethical considerations and regulations for the marketing of feeding bottles and teats. A number of subsequent WHA resolutions have further clarified or extended certain provisions of the Code.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infant bed</span> Small bed for infants and very young children

An infant bed is a small bed especially for infants and very young children. Infant beds are a historically recent development intended to contain a child capable of standing. The cage-like design of infant beds restricts the child to the bed. Between one and two years of age, children are able to climb out and are moved to a toddler bed to prevent an injurious fall while escaping the bed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Childproofing</span> The act of making an environment or object safer for children

Childproofing is the act of making an environment or object safe for children. This reduces risks to a level considered acceptable by a society, an institution, or to specific parents. Childproofing may include restriction of children to safe areas or preventing children from reaching unsafe areas. This can be accomplished by the parent or by hiring a professional for assistance. Childproofing is gaining more prominence now that parents have greater access to information on child injury and a wide variety of products are available to help prevent it. It has become so top-of-mind for parents that even hotels and child-friendly resorts are offering "child-proof" rooms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gross motor skill</span> Motor skills involving large muscle groups

Gross motor skills are the abilities usually acquired during childhood as part of a child's motor learning. By the time they reach two years of age, almost all children are able to stand up, walk and run, walk up stairs, etc. These skills are built upon, improved and better controlled throughout early childhood, and continue in refinement throughout most of the individual's years of development into adulthood. These gross movements come from large muscle groups and whole body movement. These skills develop in a head-to-toe order. The children will typically learn head control, trunk stability, and then standing up and walking. It is shown that children exposed to outdoor play time activities will develop better gross motor skills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stair climbing</span>

Stair climbing is the climbing of a flight of stairs. It is often described as a "low-impact" exercise, often for people who have recently started trying to get in shape. A common exhortation in health pop culture is "Take the stairs, not the elevator".

Injury prevention is an effort to prevent or reduce the severity of bodily injuries caused by external mechanisms, such as accidents, before they occur. Injury prevention is a component of safety and public health, and its goal is to improve the health of the population by preventing injuries and hence improving quality of life. Among laypersons, the term "accidental injury" is often used. However, "accidental" implies the causes of injuries are random in nature. Researchers prefer the term "unintentional injury" to refer to injuries that are nonvolitional but often preventable. Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control show that unintentional injuries are a significant public health concern: they are by far the leading cause of death from ages 1 through 44. During these years, unintentional injuries account for more deaths than the next three leading causes of death combined. Unintentional injuries also account for the top ten sources of nonfatal emergency room visits for persons up to age 9 and nine of the top ten sources of nonfatal emergency room visits for persons over the age of 9.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act</span>

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008 is a United States law signed on August 14, 2008 by President George W. Bush. The legislative bill was known as HR 4040, sponsored by Congressman Bobby Rush (D-Ill.). On December 19, 2007, the U.S. House approved the bill 407-0. On March 6, 2008, the U.S. Senate approved the bill 79-13. The law—public law 110-314—increases the budget of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), imposes new testing and documentation requirements, and sets new acceptable levels of several substances. It imposes new requirements on manufacturers of apparel, shoes, personal care products, accessories and jewelry, home furnishings, bedding, toys, electronics and video games, books, school supplies, educational materials and science kits. The Act also increases fines and specifies jail time for some violations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infant clothing</span> Clothing worn by infants

Infant clothing or baby clothing is clothing made for infants. Baby fashion is a social-cultural consumerist practice that encodes in children's fashion the representation of many social features and depicts a system characterized by differences in social class, richness, gender, or ethnicity.

Odón device is a medical device that is designed to assist during a difficult birth. The device consists of a plastic sleeve that is inflated around the baby's head and is used to gently pull and ease the head of the infant through the birth canal.

A baby jumper is a device that can be used by infants to exercise and play in. The original baby jumper consists of a hoop suspended by an elastic strap. More elaborate baby jumpers have a base made of hard plastic sitting in a frame and a suspended fabric seat with two leg holes, often with trays holding toys. The door jumpers lack the tray. There are also mobile play centers, which look very similar to baby jumpers, but which have wheels.

Infant and toddler safety are those actions and modifications put into place to keep babies and toddlers safe from accidental injury and death. Many accidents, injuries and deaths are preventable.

Newborn care and safety are activities and precautions recommended for new parents or caregivers. It is an educational goal of many hospitals and birthing centers to promote newborn care and safety as parents take their infant home.

References

  1. Burrows P, Griffiths P (November 2002). "Do baby walkers delay onset of walking in young children?". Br J Community Nurs . 7 (11): 581–6. doi:10.12968/bjcn.2002.7.11.10889. PMID   12447120. S2CID   29257150.
  2. Garrett, M; McElroy, A M; Staines, A (2002-06-22). "Locomotor milestones and babywalkers: cross sectional study". BMJ: British Medical Journal. 324 (7352): 1494. doi:10.1136/bmj.324.7352.1494. ISSN   0959-8138. PMC   116446 . PMID   12077035.
  3. "Parachute – Preventing Injuries. Saving Lives". www.parachutecanada.org. Archived from the original on 2018-06-22. Retrieved 2018-06-22.
  4. safety, Health (2020-02-25). "ARCHIVED – Baby Walker bad or good". www.best-for-babies.com.
  5. 1 2 Canada, Health (2004-09-28). "ARCHIVED - Injury Data Analysis Leads to Baby Walker Ban - Canada.ca". www.canada.ca.
  6. 1 2 Gielen, Andrea C.; McDonald, Eileen M.; Shields, Wendy (2015-01-01). "Unintentional Home Injuries Across the Life Span: Problems and Solutions". Annual Review of Public Health. 36 (1): 231–253. doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031914-122722 . PMID   25581150.
  7. 1 2 3 4 As Injuries Continue, Doctors Renew Call For Ban On Infant Walkers
  8. "SafetyLit Thesaurus Project".
  9. Young, Ben; Wynn, Persephone M.; He, Zhimin; Kendrick, Denise (2013-11-01). "Preventing childhood falls within the home: overview of systematic reviews and a systematic review of primary studies". Accident Analysis and Prevention. 60: 158–171. doi:10.1016/j.aap.2013.08.001. ISSN   1879-2057. PMID   24080473.
  10. 1 2 "Baby Walker Information from Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, Canada". Archived from the original on 2008-10-21.
  11. "Injury Data Analysis Leads to Baby Walker Ban". 28 September 2004.
  12. "Baby walkers outlawed in Canada". 2004-04-08. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  13. "CPSIA Changes". CPSC . 2008. Archived from the original on 2010-05-27.
  14. Greene, Alan (22 February 2010). "The Dangers of Baby Walkers". The New York Times . /
  15. "The Juppy Baby Walker". Yahoo! News . 2010.
  16. Lamar, Cyriaque (23 October 2012). "Behold, the divine baby walker of Jesus Christ". io9 . Retrieved 24 October 2012.
  17. 1 2 Snodgrass, Mary Ellen (2004-12-29). Encyclopedia of Kitchen History. Routledge. p. 201. ISBN   9781135455729.