Baby walkers are supposed to help a child in taking his initial steps in walking. But do they really serve the purpose for which they are meant? Are they safe for your child? Well, NO. They are not at all safe for your kid and the following article gives valid reasons as to why they are unsafe and should not be used for kids.

Every growing phase in a child's life is a milestone and so is pretty crucial. These phases occur naturally one after the other at their own pace and should not be obstructed or disturbed in between. Why I am saying this is because baby walkers might prove to be such an obstruction to the natural progression of the walking phase in a child's life.

Baby walkers, according to studies, do not enhance the development, rather they can be responsible for delaying motor skills development of the child. A child, while in the walker, is in semi-walking position. This position allows him to use only his lower leg muscles to move and does not give a chance to use his upper legs and hip muscles which he will be using later.

Use of a baby walker hampers early child development. A child has to go through phases such as learning to roll, crawl and sit before he begins to walk unaided and without falling. Contrary to belief, there are no advantages as such in using a walker. Instead, they become a reason to worry. Parents, who are unaware of their drawbacks and hazards that they can precipitate, feel that baby walker will help the child in learning to walk without falling, by giving support when it has yet not mastered how to balance itself. On the contrary, these walkers may prove to be responsible for late development of upper leg muscles of the child.

Disadvantages of Using a Baby Walker

Parents think that babies can be left unwatched within the walker in a room for sometime, but they should know that keeping the baby within a walker needs extra attention.

Here are some major hazards you may have to protect your baby from while using a baby walker:
It gives the baby extra speed that sometimes goes out of control and results in the baby dashing into something.
It also gives the baby extra height which enables him to reach things like electronic gadgets and switches, medicines, bottles containing substances like alcohol and other drinks which can result into serious consequences.
The chances of a baby falling out of the walker because of the obstacles or leaning out of it to pickup something on the floor are very great. A child in a walker, if left unattended, may fall off the stairs or roll down the steps or slopes which may result into serious injuries or even death.
Getting burnt is another major accident that can happen to a baby in a walker. Because of the excessive speed of the walker, the baby might propel itself into a fireplace and get burnt.
Sitting or standing in a walker, a child gets easy access to dangerous places like oven doors, stove tops and open fires which can cause serious injury.
The records and research show that use of a walker leads to frequent accidents and may lead to severe consequences. Generally it is believed that keeping babies on the floor in a room is safer than leaving a baby unattended in a walker.

But if for some unavoidable reason, you have decided to buy a baby walker for your kid, then here are some important instructions to be followed while buying and using a walker. See that the shopkeeper provides all the essential guidelines in using the walker safely. Also, make sure that the walker does not have any gaps or breaks that can trap baby's fingers, toes or any other body parts. Nowadays, some baby walkers are designed such that they stop, if any one of the wheels crosses over the edge of a step to avoid falling off. Even the speed of the walker is controlled, in such walkers; they move slowly in order to avoid accidents. Do not keep your baby in the walker when in a garden because, the surface there is uneven and may cause a fall. Avoid putting the baby in the walker when you are near the staircase.

Safety, always comes first when we are planning something for children. You should not blindly believe in any of the baby products and need to understand that companies selling baby walkers intend to make money. Hence, know the drawbacks of a product before buying it for your baby. Be a wise parent and take correct steps for your child's proper development. Know that experts discourage use of baby walkers. I am sure, you will take all the necessary precautions and keep your baby safe from accidents and injuries.

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