As parents we are eager to encourage our baby’s development, and a product that may be tempting to use is a baby walker (walkers are illegal in some jurisdictions, but may be found at private sales). A walker supports the baby in a seat on a frame with wheels, and baby’s feet dangle underneath so that they contact the floor. Thus supported, Baby can move forward by moving his/her feet. Walkers seem to allow the baby to practice walking, so what is the problem? There are two: injuries and delayed development. In the case of injuries, babies have all too frequently rolled themselves down stairs or to dangerous locations such as the stove, where many have been burned. Somewhat surprisingly, excessive amounts of time in a walker can also lead to delayed, not advanced, motor development. A walker allows Baby to make walking “errors” that don’t result in a fall. In a walker, Baby can’t practice the fine movements that are needed for balancing or for protecting oneself when falling, and this delays development. The use of a baby walker increases the possibility of injury and does not have any positive effect on motor development. As with most skills, learning to walk is aided by the making of mistakes, and baby walkers remove the connection between those mistakes and their informative consequences.
References
Cassell, O. C., Hubble, M., Milling, M.A., & Dickson WA. (1997). Baby walkers; still a major cause of infant burns. Burns, 23, 451–453.
Crouchman, M. (1986). The effects of babywalkers on early locomotor development. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 8, 757-761.
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