all about baby walker...

[xxbanbanxx]

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Should My Baby Use A Walker?
No.

A walker does not help your baby to learn to walk. It is dangerous and potentially fatal. In fact, Canada has already banned the sale of baby walkers.

How Is The Baby Walker More A Weapon Than A Tool?
Danger 1: Baby walkers cause babies to walk later

Baby walkers don't help babies walk earlier. In fact, walkers may even delay your baby's movement skill development or discourage him from learning to walk on his own.

Baby walkers don't help babies walk earlier. In fact, walkers may even delay your baby's movement skill development or discourage him from learning to walk on his own.

Most walkers are designed such that babies are not able to see their feet while walking. This can slow down development of movement as they are unable to make mental connection that it is their legs and feet that are moving the walker.

Walkers make it too easy for babies to move around. Babies who are in walkers tend to explore and satisfy their curiosity without developing their balance or walking skills. This may lead to slower development of balance and walking skills. Studies have shown that babies who spent 2 hours each day in the walker were more delayed in walking than babies who did not use a walker.

Danger 2: Baby walkers cause abnormal walking pattern
The baby's legs are not straight when "walking" in the walker. The hips and knees are bent and he will tend to walk on tiptoe. This causes him to use and develop the wrong leg muscles for walking. Such abnormal walking pattern may be difficult to correct even when he is out of the walker.

Studies have shown that walking pattern of babies worsen with the use of walkers especially if they are already walking in an abnormal way.

Danger 3: Baby walkers can cause serious injuries
Walkers are unsafe. Babies can react a speed of 1 meter per second in a walker, which is too fast even for an attentive parent to catch should the child speed towards an open door, down the stairs or towards a boiling pot.

So How Can I Encourage My Baby To Learn To Walk?

* Discard the walker
* Use a playpen or play-centre that is stationary. Alternatively, allow a safe, unrestricted floor space for exploration.
* Help your baby exercise his muscles e.g. supported standing or cruising.
* Provide sensory stimulation e.g. baby massage.
* Provide vestibluar stimulation e.g. rocking, bouncing or swing baby.
* Breast-feeding may help to strengthen baby's muscles.

Should I buy my baby a baby walker?

Written for BabyCenter Philippines
Julia Youll answers:


Putting a baby in a walker is like giving a teenager a Ferrari -- a dangerous risk. That's why, as of April 2007, Canada has banned the sale of baby walkers.

UK data suggests, however, that more accidents and injuries happen in babywalkers than with any other form of baby equipment. This is because they give babies extra speed (a baby can reach up to one meter per second in one zoom), extra height, and access to multiple hazards.

Most injuries are caused by falls when the babywalker tips and the baby is thrown downstairs or crashes into furniture, heaters, or ovens. There is also an increased risk of your baby being burnt by previously inaccessible objects, such as candles and hot cups of tea. Thirdly, it allows her to reach household poisons, such as perfume, mouthwash, or alcohol, left at a previously safe level.

Most people believe that when a baby is occupied in his little 'wagon', he is safe and can be left unsupervised for short periods. In reality, extra vigilance is needed when your baby is in a baby walker and your baby would be safer left on the floor in a hazard-free room. (Read tips on baby-proofing your house).

Walkers won't help your baby learn to walk and in fact, using one too much may even delay her development slightly. A baby needs to roll, crawl, sit and to play on the floor, in order to reach her developmental milestones.

In spite of the worrying statistics, an outright ban on walkers could be unrealistic. Some experts feel they should be designed only for babies over 9 months of age who are already sitting and crawling, and are limited in the speed that they can travel. It should be compulsory for customers to be given clear safety guidelines when buying a baby walker. (If there are no clear guidelines, be wary and do your due research.)

If someone suggests a walker for your baby consider alternatives or, better still, let her exercise on the floor in the good, old-fashioned way.

Reviewed by Dra. Cynthia Castrillo, pediatrician, March 2009


What If My Child Has An Abnormal Walking Pattern?
Consult your doctor if you notice that your child is walking on his toes or on the sides of the feet.



I heard that the wooden andador is safer than the commericial baby walker with wheels. Is that true?

Written for BabyCenter Philippines
Dra. Cynthia Castrillo answers:




The traditional wooden andador is made of rattan and composed of two rings: one large ring that serves as a base and a smaller one on top from which a baby learning to walk hangs on to, usually with his armpits. It is widely believed that this type of walker is safe as it has been used by babies through generations. Many assume that because it does not have wheels, it does not have the risk of accidentally rolling over or rolling onto obstacles. It is also believed that the andador gives the baby more "walking practice" since the baby has to work his way to actually take those first steps.

Despite its broad base though, tipping over is still possible. Furthermore, it also provides some form of leverage for the baby to stretch himself up to reach out to objects that would ordinarily be out of his immediate range if he had just his legs to support him -- including potentially dangerous or poisonous objects.

Take note that walkers -- both the traditional and modern baby walkers -- won't help your baby learn to walk. Experts even believe that using one too much may even delay his development slightly. Learning to walk is a developmental milestone that occurs in natural succession after rolling over, sitting, crawling, standing from sitting, cruising. These are pre-walking milestones that give the baby's muscles the strength it needs to pursue the actual taking of steps. When viewed from this perspective, it becomes but necessary to allow baby his "floor time" to firm up those muscles, rather than restricting him inside his andador where his lower muscles are made to step up, sometimes even before they are actually ready to do so. If you'd really like to give baby the walking practice you think he needs, do so in parks or wide open spaces where you can actually take his hand in yours and guide him in taking his steps. This way, he gets a better feel of his legs in motion; he gets a better feel of the ground underneath his feet. He is better able to orient himself in relation to the space he moves around in.

source: www.huggies.com.ph and BabyCenter Philippines | Homepage - Pregnancy and Baby Resource for Pinoy Parents

[rockford_fosgate09]

asa source ani? basa ko more

Canada has already banned the sale of baby walkers.

sa phlippines way banned oi, halos tanan gamit ug walker since nineteen forgoten

[kit_kat]

up!

nice thread!

[a_girl]

hala..ako baby ga gamit baya ug walker run..kay egun man xla cge kunu kugus daun di pa kahibaw mo lakaw.. di sd xa 2hours mag gamit mga 1hour ra tegale or panagsa ra sd kay mo hilak man daun xa..kay mag pa kugus man daun ebutag nlg naku xa sa ya crib...sure jud ne?kay egun xla mas maau kunu epa walker ag baby but di lg dugayon..kay maka bakang kunu...pra dali rsad kunu xa mo lakaw..waaa..ambot oi libong ko...waaa..

[jamzy]

kinda true....

ako niece kay wla jud xa nakamao mo walk until naguba iya walker, kay always raman xa nag walker..
din after ato kay magkinto sad xa mag walk...karon kay although kamao na xa mo walk... pero dali ra au matumba...

[jamzy]

akong bb kay nag walker sad baya... pero mas comfortable xa mag kamang-kamang kay sa magwalker.

[ashmae_01]

mao pud ni ingn sa pedia namu na dli maau ang walker sa mga bata esp. kadtong naay ligid mas matapulan ug mas dugay cla maka learn na molakaw na cla lng kay nhulog man nuon nag depend na cla sa walker...
nephew of my hubby i think 10mos. pa lng he knws na how 2 walk he nver used a walker kay wla cya gianad sa akong mga in-laws wat dey did s every nyt ilang palakwon ang baby dn ilang suwayan na buhian bahala matumba cya dli cla mhadlok kay isa pud dw na pra mka walk na ang bata
pag 1year nia kusog na kaau molakaw nd krn 1yr nd 2mos pa lng cya maau na kau modagan, monaug sa hgdanan nd monaug sa iyang bed....
sus akong baby na gianad sa walker mag 11 mos. na cya dli ghapon khibalo mo walk along...but nka 2 steps na nuon cya 2 times bt still hadlok ghapon cya if buhian na

[xxbanbanxx]

asa source ani? basa ko more



sa phlippines way banned oi, halos tanan gamit ug walker since nineteen forgoten

ang source ani kay - Huggies Philippines tanawa lang palihug didto.

[tessF]

thank you sa thread starter ani,. plan raba ta ko palit walker ugma

[homer20]

okay raman ang walker para sa baby kuyaw lang sa mga naay hagdanan. pariha sa akoang anak ako cya gibutang sa walker nya naka limot ka after 3mins. naa nay ng saba2x pag lingi nako akoa na diay anak nilukapa na! hehehehe