Guidelines for the Safe Use of Baby Walkers

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

Since 1992, the American Academy of pediatrich 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 baby 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.
• To reduce the chance of the child slipping out of the seat, check that both feet of the child touch the floor, and never carry walkers with the child in it.
• To avoid burn injuries, keep the child away from ranges, radiators, space heaters, or fireplaces.
• Always use the walker’s restraint system.
• Follow the manufacturer’s height, weight or age recommendations and stop using the walker when your child has outgrown it.
• Discontinue using the walker should it become damaged or broken.
• Most important, keep the child in view while he or she is in the walker.

That are more advise that can you use to make your baby safety in baby walkers. All of us hope is no more happened accident in baby walkers again.

Are Baby Walkers is Safety?

Maybe you and other parents are think if a walker (tools) can help your baby/child learn to walk. In most big country , baby walker for parents is very useful and help them to keep their children, because they think they will not can to keep their baby 24 hours full. But

Most pediatrist make a research and the result is walkers don't help our children walk sooner. Because Ithe fact, baby walkers can delay or block mental development and normal muscle control.
This are many reason that baby walkers is not safe, because our children can do like this:

• Walk along the stairs : which often causes broken bones and severe head injuries. This is reason why most children get hurt in baby walkers.
• Get burned : a child can reach higher when in a walker. A cup of hot coffee on the table, pot handles on the stove, a radiator, a fireplace, or a space heater are all now in baby's reach.
• Be poisoned : reach object that are harmful and dangerous in a walker.
• Get Sick : Alot of children can make some contact with their surroundings, that are not pure, 100% free of bad bacteria.

Most walker injuries happen while adults are watching. A child in a walker can move more than 3 feet in 1 second! Therefore, walkers are never safe to use, even with close adult supervision. Make sure there are no walkers at home or wherever your child is being cared for. Child care facilities should not allow the use of baby walkers. If your child is in child care at a center or at someone else's home, make sure there are no walkers.

On July 1, 1997, new safety standards were implemented for baby walkers. Many pediatrich do some research to find new idea, to make and get a prototype in baby walkers, that are safety and comfort for children.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions have called for a ban on the manufacture and sale of baby walkers with wheels. Keep your child safe. . .throw away your baby walker!