Baby walkers one of the reasons that injuries among young children is kept at a high level. A new study shows that in the US an average of five babies are injured every day.
The authors, in the period from 1990 to 2014, children under the age of 15 months in the US there were 230 676 injuries due to baby walkers.
It only takes into account injuries to children recorded in the emergency departments in hospitals, so the actual number may be higher, according to study co-author Dr. Gary Smith (Gary Smith), Director of the Center for research injury National children’s hospital (Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Childrens Hospital) in Columbus, Ohio.
Analysis of American researchers published in the journal Pediatrics, showed that 6 539 of the injured babies had skull fractures, 91% of cases due to falling from the stairs. Baby walkers banned in Canada, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you ban them in the United States.
Baby walkers allow children to move very quickly when they are still too young for this. Baby walkers remain one of the major sources of injuries to babies and these injuries can be avoided, so you should not use a Walker. There are safer alternatives such as stationary activity centers that are spinning, swinging, similar to a Walker but without wheels. There is still the good old practice, when the child just crawls on his stomach, allowing him to gradually learn to push ourselves up, then crawl and eventually to walk, says Dr. Smith.
Most reported injuries occurred when the child in the Walker fell down the stairs. This often led to the injury of the head or neck.
The number of injuries decreased by 84,5% from 1990 to 2003, likely due to the new safety standard, which took manufacturers walkers. During the same period, injuries related to fall of the stairs, fell by 91%. However, even in 2014, so it was injured 2,000 children.
Why do parents still buy baby walkers? Many parents believe that baby walkers to entertain the children, help them learn to walk and be active, while parents are busy with something else. However, baby Walker not promote walking skills. In fact, as argued by other studies, walkers may even on some time to slow the progression of mental and motor system of the child, says Dr. Smith.
Dmitry Kolesnik