What are the risks of using a baby walker? A pediatrician will answer you.
What is a baby walker?
A baby walker, also called youpala, is a childcare object which aims to help the child learn to walk. It consists of a carrycot in which the baby is held vertically, and a shock-absorbing frame with wheels. The baby can thus move easily, while standing, and very quickly, up to one meter per second. He feels more independent, and parents tend to relax their attention.
What are the risks of the baby walker?
“The use of a walker is not recommended” explains Doctor Andreas Werner, president of the French Association of Ambulatory Pediatrics (AFPA) and expert in pediatrics for Mpedia. “This is of no use to the child developmenton the contrary it encourages him to have a digitigrade walking pathological.” This means that the use of youpala encourages the child to learn to walk on tiptoe.
“In many countries this product is banned because it may cause fatal accidents. It should be banned, especially for a child who does not yet know how to walk, it is not suitable for their age.” adds the doctor. Indeed, in Canada for example, this type of object has been banned since 2004, in particular to avoid serious falls on stairs, by causing the protective barrier to give way. In the European Union, the sale of walkers is not prohibited but must be accompanied by a warning from the manufacturers.
In this system, the child has difficulty slowing down, once started. He may bump into furniture, have access to objects or products that may be dangerous for him, or even have objects fall on him with the shock. The baby can also easily tip backwards.
A study by the pediatric department of the Faculty of Medicine of Strasbourg showed, in the early 2000s, that baby walkers were responsible for more than 40% of cases. head injuries children under one year old.
What are the alternatives to the walker?
Can the child use a pusher instead of a walker? By respecting basic safety rules such as removing things that may be within reach, and preventing a fall down the stairs by installing a barrier, why not. But the best thing is still to let your child develop at their own pace.
Sources:
Doctor Andreas Werner, president of the French Association of Outpatient Pediatrics (AFPA) and expert in pediatrics
Mpedia
Santé.fr
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