You must have seen babies positioned over the suspended seats of a sit-in baby walker, trying to move about even as their limbs struggle to reach the ground. And if their feet manage to touch the ground, they can dash off at a rapid pace, relying more on the wheels of the walker than their own feet. While it may feel joyous to watch a child explore every nook and corner of the house, are baby walkers — the devices touted to help babies walk — really helpful?
The colorful baby walkers available in the market today come with several additional features, such as buttons to play music or rhymes. These are meant to keep the baby entertained. The bright colors, designs and added features on the walkers grab the attention of the growing, exploring and highly observant infants, who are curious about everything around them. They can, however, hamper their development, say experts.
Baby walkers hinder normal walking
Misguided by social media and advertisements, many new parents introduce a baby to a walker within a few months of birth. They are led to think that using walkers will make their child walk earlier. “This is a misconception,” stresses Dr Sreenath S Manikanti, senior consultant-pediatrics and neonatology, Kauvery Hospital, Bangalore. “Babies go through various stages of development. They first learn to roll over and then start to sit. After that, you will see military crawling, followed by proper crawling. Then the baby learns to pull up to a standing position and starts walking by holding onto furniture.”
When the baby is introduced to the walker in the initial months, the baby will not go through these developmental stages. “They may skip out on crawling or pulling up to stand. In fact, it may sometimes even delay walking,” adds Dr Manikanti.
The effect on gait and posture
Apart from the delay in learning to walk properly, introducing your baby to a walker can affect their posture, gait and even balance.
“Introducing babies to walkers in the early months can result in injuries as they try to run using the walker,” says Dr Nanditha Rathinam, consultant, pediatrics and pediatrics intensive care, Manipal Hospital, Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore.
Babies seated in walkers have their legs on either side of the suspended seat. “It can change the posture of the baby. Walking may be delayed as coordination is affected. Kids might end up having a very broad-based gait, which alters their natural gait. And once they get used to the walker, it is a little difficult to change the gait of the baby,” explains Dr Rathinam.
Using a walker may also affect a child’s confidence in walking or running independently. Thus, it is important for pediatricians to intervene and inform parents of the harms of using a baby walker during the early months.
Should baby walkers be used?
Some parents introduce their kids to baby walkers as early as seven months, which can be extremely dangerous. However, confusion remains about whether walkers should be introduced in the later months or avoided completely. Dr Manikanti weighs in, saying, “A child is not ready to be on their legs until they are at least 10–11 months old and start pulling up to a standing position. Putting them on the walker earlier will put unnecessary pressure on the legs at a very tender age.” It is also crucial to note that when a baby is put in a walker at a younger age, their weight might also not be distributed properly.
If parents are still keen on using a walker, it may be better to do so once the child is older. ‘When a baby who is able to walk with support is afraid of walking independently, parents may use walkers to help their child,” suggests Dr Manikanti. He also advises that these be used only for a limited period of time and only under adult supervision.
“Parents should be educated on the right time to introduce the walker,” says Dr Rathinam. “They can be used when a baby can balance and has a certain gait [when the baby is approximately a year old]. At this age, when it is introduced, the brain matures enough to send signals to the muscles to help the baby stand up and walk.”
However, experts emphasize keeping babies away from walkers for better growth and development. Dr Rathinam explains, “Not using a walker is optimal as a baby should achieve developmental milestones at their own pace. Rushing affects the natural development and growth of the baby.”
Takeaways
- Many parents believe that baby walkers help children learn to walk; however, experts disagree.
- Walkers prevent babies from going through natural developmental stages — rolling over, sitting up, military crawling, regular crawling, pulling up to stand, standing with support, and finally taking their first steps.
- Baby walkers can cause postural and gait-related issues in infants. This is due to improper balance and weight distribution when the little ones are placed in the walker.
- Experts advise against the use of baby walkers. When required, they can be introduced after a child can stand and take a few steps and should only be used under supervision.
