Dr. Robert Needlman
Specialist in pediatric behavior and development.
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 Ask Dr. Needlman
The Dangers of Walkers | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Needlman,
When is it OK to put a baby into his walker without worrying about the effect it will have on his legs?— Vedika | | | ANSWER |
July 23, 2001 | | | Dear Vedika,
I think the real concern here is how long the baby is left in his walker and how it is set up--not the age of the child. When walkers are positioned with the seat too high, the baby pushes himself along using his toes. Over time, this causes the baby's calf muscles to tighten, making it harder for him to stand flat on his feet. The seat should be set so that the baby's feet rest flat on the floor, with knees slightly bent.
Even with the seat at the proper height, however, walkers tend to delay actual walking, because children do not practice balancing or supporting their weight--the walker does it for them. Developmentally, short periods of time in a walker are probably not harmful; an hour or more in a walker is probably too much.
The most serious issue with walkers, however, is safety. It is very easy for babies to propel their walkers down a set of stairs. This often causes severe head injuries. For this reason, I advise parents to avoid walkers altogether. — by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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