Hi all, here's the article in last Wed's Mind Your Body.
** I hv nothing for / against the use of walkers, just sharing this with all of u coz i thought it may be of interest to some mummies.
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Walkers are used to keep infants quiet & happy & in the mistaken belief that they aid development & help to keep children safe.
Studies hv shown that the use of baby walkers can be associated with delayed motor development & alteration fr the normal patterns of development.
Motor development is stimulated by the desire to see & reach objects beyond a child's reach.
By placing a child in a walker, he attains the upright posture prematurely & receives the rewards of walking without needing to first learn those motor skills normally.
One study of children who used baby walkers from 6-12months of age showed a delay in crawling, standing & walking alone compared to those who did not use a walker.
Furthermore, some children learn to push themselves along on tiptoe & develop the habit of tiptoe walking. This can persist long after the child is out of the walker, resulting in a tightening of the calf muscles and the referral of otherwise-normal children for suspected cerebral palsy.
There is good evidence that baby walker use is related to accidents. Minor injuries can occur when poorly designed walkers overturn or collapse.
Serious head injuries & broken limbs can occur with accidental falls down stairs & steps.
Injuries occur even in the presence of supervising adults: infants in walkers can outrun carers' ability to catch them in time.
Poisonings & burns can occur by children reaching objects normally out of reach.
In Singapore, the Injuries & Surveillance Project, conducted by KKH, SGH, Pasir Ris & Institute of Health Polyclinics, & the Health Sciences Authority, showed 107 walker-related injuries over a 2-yr period.
17 were related to falls down stairs or steps. 3 involved scalding, 3 cases had fractured arms & many had head injuries, with 2 skull fractures & various cuts & bruises on the face & head.
Thus walkers do not aid development & can adversely affect it. They are also a safety hazard, particularly in homes with steps. On this basis, baby walkers are not recommended.
In fact, Canada bans the advertisement, import & sale of baby walkers & the American Academy of Paediatrics recommends a ban on wheeled walkers.
Alternatives to the baby walker exist & include stationary activity centres and the use of floor padding in play areas (which can be enclosed) to cushion against falls in the course of normal development.
The most important factor in a child's development is the supervision by the carer. Stimulation of development should be tailored to the child's age and his stage of development.
At 5 months, many babies are able to roll over but cannot yet sit unsupported. The goal would be to encourage age-appropriate milestones such as sitting unsupported.
Regular baby checks play an impt role in ensuring normal development & picking up problems early. For a guide on what to expect at each stage, refer to the assessment forms in every child's health booklet.
SOURCE: Dr Derrick Chan, Registrar, General & Ambulatory Paediatrics Service, Department of Paediatric Medicine, KKH