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Do you think baby walkers should be banned? - 8/9/2009 12:50:41 PM
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fiery
Posts: 5730
Joined: 11/4/2007
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You may or may not know that Canada already banned the sale, advertising and import of baby walkers 5 years ago, citing safety concerns. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has been calling for the same kind of ban to be imposed in the US long before then and it's still not happened. This was their reaction to the Canadian ban back then.
quote:
April 08, 2004
U.S. GOVERNMENT SHOULD BAN BABY WALKERS
Canadian ban applauded
Washington, DC---The American Academy of Pediatrics is once again calling on the U.S. government to ban wheeled baby walkers in order to prevent infant injuries. The effort has been renewed since the Canadian government yesterday prohibited new and used baby walkers from being advertised, sold or imported. "We urge the United States to follow Canada's lead and ban this dangerous and useless product," said AAP Executive Director Joe M. Sanders, Jr., MD. "It is time to get baby walkers off store shelves and out of American homes and child care centers."
The AAP has recommended a ban on baby walkers since 1995, and over the years has petitioned the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), but to no avail. The CPSC has worked with manufacturers on voluntary safety features, but the wheeled walkers are still sold.
Parents may be aware of the dangers associated with baby walkers, but infants continue to sustain injuries in walkers even under supervision. In 2001, over 6000 children in the United States were injured in baby walkers. Most of the injuries resulted from a fall down stairs or falls out of the walker. Other injuries, such as burns and poisonings, happen because infants are more mobile in walkers and able to reach objects that would be otherwise out of reach.
"We're still seeing head injuries, bruises, cuts and skull fractures and for what?" said Dr. Sanders. "There is no developmental benefit to children using walkers. They're really just uncontrolled rides, and your baby is doing the driving."
Instead of wheeled baby walkers, the AAP encourages parents to use safer alternatives such as stationary activity centers.
Why are these still on the market here? I don't understand why the government wouldn't just ban them.
< Message edited by fiery -- 8/9/2009 12:51:56 PM >
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RE: Do you think baby walkers should be banned? - 8/31/2009 5:51:22 PM
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dianerene
Posts: 2105
Joined: 10/31/2006
Location: sunny so cal, usa
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it seems to me the definition of "supervised" must be flawed. how do you fall down stairs or get near items that could scald you if you are supervising your child? I mean, part of supervision (in my opinion) would mean to block access from stairs or potentially harmful areas of the house or space where the child is using it.
instead of walkers, the youngest two used an exer-saucer. it didn't move, other than a rotating seat in a stationary device, but it allowed the girls to build muscles in their legs while playing with various toys at a "play station". it was also a WONDERFUL way for me to get things done in a room while my children could still see me. they played with it well into toddler years.
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RE: Do you think baby walkers should be banned? - 9/20/2009 2:47:48 PM
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fiery
Posts: 5730
Joined: 11/4/2007
Location: in front of my computer
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I agree diane, that's not supervision! The only thing I can think of would be if the person watching them wasn't used to a child in a walker and didn't realize how fast they can get from A to B in one. My son could have raced in the Grand Prix with his lol. So I can imagine them grabbing a cup of hot coffee or something while your back was turned for a sec because they'd dashed from one side of the room to the other (not that coffee should be at that height anyway!) but falling down stairs??? No self respecting parent does without a stairgate when the little ones start to get mobile at the top of a staircase. It makes me feel ill even to think of that happening.
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