[sbaglio]

Has anyone allowed their child to use a walker? I always used to advise my patients against it, due to the possibiliy of accidents, possible delay in proper walking and such, but we got one as a gift for DD this past weekend, and now I'm stuck. I have no problem packing it away permanently, but just wanted to find out your experiences.

Thanks!

[SupaModel]

I use one and DS likes it. I dont put him in all day or for that long but yes he enjoys it. I will say though just this past week he finally learned to go forward!

[julie23]

i'm on baby number four.... and all four have had walkers... and they love them! We keep them gated in the Kitchen... so that's the only place they can go... we haven't had any accidents.... they usually enjoy them until they can crawl.... and then we don't use the walker anymore... Number One walked at 11 months... number two walked at 14 months.... number three walked at 17 months (She could have walked way earlier, she just didn't want to!)..... and number four is eight months old and just about to start crawling.... She LOVES her walker... she scoots all over the kitchen and pulls the dish towels off the rack..... opens cupboards (yes, we are about to start baby proofing!).... she gets into every thing she can... and she really likes it...

[Leigh131313]

They are illegal in Canada. Very dangerous - especially with a second child (cuz the first child will push them around)

When I was a babe, my parents had one (they were allowed then) One time my dad ran downstairs to grab something from the freezer and didn't close the door to the basement. He said, as he was walking back to the stairs he heard "Click CLICK, click CLICK" ....it was my walker going down the stairs, with me as happy as can be trotting down the stairs inside it. Luckily, he was able to catch me at the bottom - alot of kids haven't been so lucky.

[Fran27]

I don't see the harm as long as you're keeping a close eye on the child, and it's used in moderation like all those kinds of toys.

[mumofone]

I didn't read the responses, so forgive me if I am repeating something already stated.

I live in Canada, and they are banned here. I do know of some who have used them as recently as two years ago. I couldn't talk them out of using one. They were going to do what they were going to do.

We were advised to not even allow a child to use an exersaucer or jolly jumper until the child could sit up entirely on their own. We were told it puts undo pressure on their little spine. Even the physiotherapists here don't recommend them.

[Stormster]

Well we used EVERYTHING: Jumperoo, exersaucer, push walkers, ride inside walkers and DS is a running machine now though he never stayed in those things long. It was more about fun, in short spurts and very closely supervised.

I never use things like that to "babysit" I think that's where the danger lies. I can't speak to the developmental issue but I can see why long periods of time in those things might not be a good idea.

Then again Fadzi I also let E play in the sandbox, I'm an old fashioned girl (as my ID specialist sister runs around after E wiping his hands!)

[Kat-L]

Originally Posted by sbaglio

Has anyone allowed their child to use a walker? I always used to advise my patients against it, due to the possibiliy of accidents, possible delay in proper walking and such, but we got one as a gift for DD this past weekend, and now I'm stuck. I have no problem packing it away permanently, but just wanted to find out your experiences.

Thanks!

I'm more worried about possible falls than delaying development. A friend of my is a pediatric dentist and she was called after an infant fell down the basement steps in his walker (someone left the basement door open). She had to pull all the baby teeth that were affected. Not too much later, my sister in law left my nephew in his walker on the deck. The deck is low to the ground with only one step. She turned her back for a second and he fell over the step and fell out of the seat.

On the other hand, my mother loves them. She watched my other nephew as an infant and he loved being able to get around while sitting up. He went all over in that thing and he was FAST. But..it was a ranch home with no stairs.

I don't think they're worth the risk, though.


Edited because I just saw Leigh's post: I'm glad your grandpa was their to catch you!! Holy cow! That must have scared the cr*p out of him!

[loveajax]

another bad mom alert!!yup, mil gave us one (i called it the ''black market walker.'' ) dd used it for like 2 months and had fun with it, but I was sorta paranoid about it! had a friend whose kid brother 'went down a flight of stairs!

[melissa_bear003]

I'm in Canada too, so its not an option, as they're illegal.

Excersaucers are just walkers without wheels, lol...and yup, had those!

[Wisdom]

We haven't used one. Our pediatrician doesn't recommend them nor a neurosurgeon we saw months ago (when DS had a brain MRI)--he said he's seen too many head injuries due to walkers.

[Shadowfaerie]

We let our son use one. There are no stairs in our house that don't have a closed door to stop the falling via the walker, and I was with him all the time so I knew he was safe. I've heard they hinder a child's ability to walk or something, but it didn't hinder our son's, pretty much as soon as he could stand up he could walk... he could run! So, sure why not? They've been in use for hundreds of years.

[sheababy]

We used one and I didn't worry about it because we have no stairs, our home is so small that she couldn't get very far without getting stuck. For us it was used more as a place she could sit up and eat a snack etc. It did not hinder our DD's ability to walk. When she was ready to walk, she didn't want that limiting where she could go. As long as she is supervised I think it's ok.

[feelingreyt]

We used one with all 3 of our children. Not a single accident!
DD walked at 9 months, DS walked at 10 months, ADS walked at 11 months. No delays either!

With proper supervision it is perfectly safe!

[OnTheJourney]

Another bad mom alert here. lol
We also call ours the Black Market Walker. (because we are in Canada and they are now illegal here) I even hide it when certian people come over cause I know they would flame me for having it.
I think they are perfectly fine if used in a safe enviroment with proper supervision, they are very fast in them. My son LOVED his sooo much. He used it from about 4 or 5 months until about 9 months when he could crawl. Then he wasn't interested anymore. He was alot happier because he was not as frustrated about getting around and they are so big and wide now that he couldn't get close enough to anything to get in trouble. I have to say, he was safer in the walker then he was when he started cralwing. JMHO And he started walking at 12 months. BTW, he also loved his Jolly Jumper! He is a mover and shaker and has always wanted to be upright.
My DD has now started moving around in it and she is soooo happy in it. She too wants to be on the go and upright already.
I think everything has the potential to be a safe or a dangerous toy/activity/ect... It is more about the awarness and alertness of the parent, IMHO.