Many of us have photos from early childhood with walkers. Their designs were very different - tables, toys, squeakers. The main thing was always a small seat and wheels. It was believed that with the help of such an invention we should quickly learn to walk on our own.
Now the attitude towards baby walkers has changed somewhat. For many mothers and fathers, this is, first of all, a thing in which they can put the baby so that he doesn’t get into places he doesn’t need.
However, grandparents often continue to insist on the enormous benefits of this little gadget, and in stores they are presented in all sorts of variations and prices. At the same time, pediatricians most often say that walkers are harmful. Let's understand a little and look at the main pros and cons.
Why does a child need a walker?
A walker is a device that is designed to help you move independently when your baby is just crawling. The design is a chair with clamps made of belts and a small tabletop mounted on wheels. At a younger age, it is boring to just sit in a playpen or crib, but the device has useful properties: it entertains and helps to explore the surrounding space.
The debate about the benefits and harms of such a “helper” does not subside.
Important! When standing on its feet, the baby has to endure loads equal to lifting a bag of cement, which can cause harm.
The useful properties of the device are obvious - it makes it easier for the baby to move. Mothers often forget that the little one needs to do new things on his own, make efforts and learn. Help with spatial exploration can be harmful, especially if it completely overshadows the benefits of learning the required skills.
A toddler in an assistive device does not need to lean on the walls and develop the ability to maintain balance. He will be able to push off the floor with his feet while sitting and quickly move in the right direction. As a result, there is no need to work and walk on your own. Therefore, the useful properties of the device cannot be exaggerated.
"The Right Age"
When any doubts about the need to use walkers have disappeared, a reasonable question arises: at what age can you start practicing?
It is impossible to accurately determine a specific figure. Each child develops individually; only a parent can understand that his baby is ready for new exploits.
You can derive general criteria that will serve as a signal for you to be ready:
- The baby is absolutely healthy and is developing well.
- He is very mobile, active, inquisitive.
- He sits up on his own without difficulty.
- Crawling / or trying to crawl, roll.
What types of walkers are there?
Walkers for children come in various designs, colors, and are also supplemented with various entertaining details and, as a result, have various beneficial properties and cause one or another harm.
There is a whole list of devices on the market, allowing you to choose the most suitable one:
- The classic model of walker allows the baby to move around the apartment without support, usefully explore the surrounding space and strengthen its legs.
- A rocking walker, or transformer, combines a rocking chair and a walker, has a height adjuster, a panel with entertaining toys, and a comfortable seat.
- Jumping walkers. The external design of such an accessory for children is similar to a kangaroo backpack equipped with special straps. As a rule, it is hung in the doorway and is allowed to be used for six months, but you must obtain permission from an orthopedist. Then the application will be without harm and beneficial properties will be obtained.
- Walkers are very popular among children. They resemble a toy on wheels that the little one pushes in front of him. Baby walkers are designed for children who can stand and walk independently.
- Walking walkers (for children with cerebral palsy) are either elbow supports or rollator walkers, where the support is located on the back side.
Rating of the best models
In children's stores you can see a huge number of the most modern models of walkers from different manufacturers. The best models include:
- Baby Care Pilot. A modest-sized product with maximum equipment for the gaming panel. Suitable for any, even the smallest apartment. 8 wheels with rubber coating and locks provide a smooth ride and reliable floor protection. Three height positions, convenient folding mechanism, orthopedic seat.
- Pituso ABC. The educational table in this model is equipped with a lot of interesting things: plastic mirrors, rattles, sound effect buttons. A motion sickness mode is available as an individual option. Suitable for babies from 6 months.
- Jetem Mobile. It is also recommended for use from six months. The walker has 8 wheels with silicone coating, there is a special height adjustment, the seat can be easily unfastened from the base and, if necessary, sent for washing. The model is made in the form of a car with a bright panel on which educational toys are installed.
- Chicco Baby Walker. The popular Spanish model is designed for use from 9 months to two years. Very stable and safe design made of bright plastic with a minimum weight of 1.8 kg.
- Happy Baby Junior. In addition to the low price and decent quality of all parts, this model is distinguished by an amazing variety of educational toys on the panel. Such walkers will not only allow the child to move around the apartment, but will also provide the opportunity to quickly acquire the necessary skills and strengthen fine motor skills.
The choice is great, but there is no need to rush when buying a new accessory for children. It is better to carefully study the instructions and remember the tips listed, then both the child and the parents will enjoy the purchase.
At what months can a child be placed in a walker?
The benefits and harms of walkers for babies can be equal if you do not pay attention to the recommendations and advice of specialists and use the device solely so that parents can go about their business while the baby grows and explores the world.
The baby is allowed to be placed in the device when he has already taken his first steps, only then will it be possible to reduce the possible harm and obtain beneficial properties.
In this case, it is necessary to make sure that the listed contraindications do not exist:
- weak muscle tone in the legs;
- irritated skin in the groin;
- presence of diagnosed rickets;
- disorders in the musculoskeletal system.
Even if all the baby’s indicators are normal, it is necessary to take into account the following factors:
- The baby is older than 8 months.
- The presence of strengthened back muscles in the toddler. It should not fall to one side, the back should be kept straight. As a rule, this happens in six months to nine months.
- It is important to take into account the psychological factor. When the baby crawls confidently and has a desire to move independently, you can offer him a similar remedy.
Important! Only then will walkers be able to show their beneficial properties and bring benefit, not harm.
girl
You need to be more concerned about the joints of female children.
Comment! Girls in infancy are susceptible to a disease such as curvature of the joints.
If a similar disease has previously been diagnosed and treated, you should not use a walker. Otherwise, a relapse of the disease will be provoked, which in older age cannot be completely cured. The useful properties of walkers in such a situation are questionable.
It is necessary to be extremely careful with girls’ joints so as not to cause harm. The back and pelvis of the little beauty must be completely strengthened; no earlier than 9 months they are allowed to be tested.
Important! You need to carefully monitor the baby's behavior. Deviations in the development of the musculoskeletal system are easy to notice. It is enough to put your legs together: if one of them is longer, then you need to urgently consult a doctor.
Only taking into account the given recommendations and contraindications, after consulting a doctor, can you use the beneficial properties of the device. Otherwise, instead of benefiting the parents and the beneficial properties of the walker, serious harm will be caused to the newborn.
boy
Pediatricians recommend focusing on general recommendations. The boy should not be left in the walker for more than 40 minutes. A boy should not be placed in a walker earlier than 8 months, otherwise deviations in the development of the genital organs may occur.
Kinds
When choosing a specific model of this device, you should pay attention to the age of the child and the functionality of the product.
Classic
Classic walkers are designed to safely move a baby around the apartment without the participation of parents. This is a standard folding device with wheels and a seat limited around the perimeter in the form of a small table.
Transformers
Transformers not only provide the opportunity to move around the floor, but also serve as a gaming device. On the table of such walkers there is usually a small platform with developmental parts in bright colors. Often such toys are equipped with applications with songs and sounds depicting the voices of animals or birds. For fine motor skills, abacus beads, rattles and spinning elements are installed.
It is better to use transformable walkers after the baby learns to hold his back well while sitting.
Gurneys
Wheeled walkers are used for children who are successfully starting to walk and stand well on their own. This toy allows you to maintain the balance of a small person and push a gurney with a set of game elements in front of you. Such products are considered more useful from the point of view of the normal formation of the child’s skeletal system. Manufacturers usually produce such wheelchairs in the form of a development center or machine.
For invalids
There are special products for children with disabilities and injuries. Walkers for disabled children are developed taking into account the specifics of the disease and can only be recommended for use by the attending physician.
Are walkers good for a child?
Walkers also have useful properties:
- Walkers for children are beneficial in developing the baby's independence: he will be able to move without assistance and explore the world around him.
- Mom can watch the little one and do housework at the same time.
- The baby is safer while learning to walk because the walker has a wide bumper area.
Recommended reading: Benefits of walking
Cons of walkers
Walkers also have disadvantages. The child begins to be lazy and learn to walk without a similar chair on wheels that will take him to the right place. As a result, he acquires a new skill later. In addition, the feet of a little person in a walker are in a non-physiological position - on their toes. In the future, this habit can negatively affect the child’s gait, since it will be difficult to wean him off.
The downside of walkers is that with their frequent use, the load on fragile muscles increases significantly. This can lead to curvature of the spinal column and deformation of the lower extremities. A prolonged absence of a change in the vertical position of the body leads to muscle overstrain.
Using baby walkers does not improve balance. In them, the child does not learn to stand up, sit down, or balance. The ability to maintain balance needs to be trained because it does not come naturally. Children who constantly use the device do not know how to fall correctly, so they often get bruised. They do not develop a defensive reaction - thanks to the rigid bumper, when running into objects, the child does not feel danger.
Before they learn to walk, children begin to crawl. The process develops not only physically, but also mentally, influencing the formation of connections between the hemispheres of the brain. If this stage is short, in the future there is a possibility of intractable problems with memory, logic, and counting. Therefore, you should buy a walker later, first let the child learn to crawl and stand.
Walkers give the child freedom and at the same time limit him. A fastened baby will not be able to lie down or crawl if desired. Children explore objects of interest by touch and taste. While in a walker, they will not be able to do this, because the barrier will prevent the hand from reaching the target. Having dropped a toy, they will not be able to pick it up without the help of others. The child's psyche is traumatized. In the future, the child may become fearful, prone to causeless panic.
A baby in a walker can move around the apartment quite quickly. If you get caught on something, there is a risk of falling over and getting injured.
When can walkers cause harm to a child?
- When purchasing a low-quality accessory, there is a risk of harming the baby, therefore, if you want to receive benefits, you should pay attention to quality.
- You won’t be able to use a walker in a small apartment; it will simply be impossible to turn around in them.
- Being in a walker does not mean complete safety. There is a risk of getting caught and overturning, dropping something on you and causing injury.
- It is unacceptable to leave children in walkers for long periods of time. You can benefit from spending 30 minutes in them 2 times a day.
What do pediatricians say?
Evgeny Olegovich Komarovsky believes that this children's device primarily has a beneficial effect on the parents, and not on the baby. Again, because of the opportunity to leave the child and do household chores. At the same time, the doctor advises limiting your stay in them to a maximum of one hour a day. But it is better to split this time into small intervals - for example, 15-20 minutes.
Anna Levadnaya, in her blog on Instagram, also opposes it - when using walkers, a pathological step is laid not from heel to toe, as is normal, but vice versa. Then the children walk on their toes and bounce.
Fedor Katasonov in “Fediatrics” (chapter 15, p. 121) advocates not buying playpens and walkers. About the playpen, he says that it is essentially a small prison. Walkers are the same way to isolate a child, only this time it is not stationary, but mobile.
Contraindications to the use of walkers
- If the “passenger” is too small, he does not know how to sit and keep his back straight.
- The presence of inflammation or damage to the skin in areas of contact with the device.
- Presence of signs of rickets.
- Hyper- or hypotonicity of the baby's legs.
- The presence of disturbances in the functioning of the musculoskeletal system.
- When the baby does not want to be in the device: he is afraid, shows discomfort, is not inclined to such entertainment.
Important! You should get acquainted with the walker from six months, for 3 minutes, no more than 2 times a day. The period of use of the device can be slowly extended, but not more than 40 minutes.
Otherwise, there is a risk of getting back pain, which will have serious consequences as you grow older.
To apply or not?
The advantages of walkers are obvious. They are useful and enjoyable for new parents. Mom, having seated her child in the device, can devote some time to herself and do her accumulated household chores.
The baby will not get away from the walker, unless, of course, the parents have properly secured him with belts and made sure that there are no unnecessary objects on the floor that the wheel of the walker could “stumble” on. It is possible to roll over from a walker, but in practice this rarely happens.
The baby doesn’t just move around the apartment in a walker, he actively plays at this time, because modern models, unlike the first ones released in the second half of the last century, have bright colors and all kinds of sorters, abacus, bells, buttons and other gaming devices.
In children's goods stores, walkers are classified as developmental products. But you shouldn’t believe this, since no one has yet been able to prove the benefits of walkers. Moreover, many pediatricians (and their number is steadily growing) are confident that walkers are dangerous for the child.
Putting a child in a walker, experts say, means going against nature and disrupting the natural course of human development. He will definitely stand on his feet, but this should happen when the muscles, bones, joints, and ligaments are completely ready for vertical load. The degree of readiness can be determined by one obvious sign: the child began to rise independently without coercion or the help of parents.
How to use a walker correctly
- It is not recommended to use a walker until the little one begins to sit independently for a long time. And it’s even better when the baby gets up in the crib.
- The first step is to change the height of the device according to the height of the toddler. It is important that the baby rests his entire foot on the floor.
- When using a walker, your baby should only wear shoes with an orthopedic insole, a high heel, and proper leg support. Then the risk of incorrect foot placement will be reduced, because the right shoes will allow you to correctly distribute the load.
- The time spent in a walker depends on the child’s age category, level of physical development, endurance and activity. You should start with 7-10 minutes a day. It is necessary to increase the period slowly. Do not exceed 40 minutes a day.
- The toddler should always be in the sight of adults.
Benefits of using baby walkers
Walkers were invented to solve several problems. So some of the benefits you'll get are based on the problems they solve.
These include:
- They keep your child busy. Most baby walkers come with built-in toys that keep your baby engaged.
- They stimulate your child's cognitive process. This is because built-in toys come in different colors and shapes. Your baby will spend a lot of time trying to figure out what the different elements are.
- This encourages the child to try to walk. It is easier to get your child moving in a walker since it is supported by the walker.
- Children get the opportunity to experience a form of independence. You don't have to hover behind them as they take every step trying to stop their fall.
Walkers help with several aspects of your baby's growth. It is a useful and exciting tool for child development.
How to choose a walker for a child
Choosing a walker is not as easy as you might think at first. The number of models in stores is amazing.
- If the baby already stands up with support, but has not learned to walk, then it is better to buy a device on wheels. The main quality required is a strong foundation. It is important to make sure that the aid is the right size, is made of durable material, has good mounting for the wheels, and the wheels should rotate easily.
- You need to check that the seat is comfortable, with a soft back. The best option would be a device with a planting depth regulator.
- For a baby just starting to walk, it is better to choose a push walker. At the time of selection, you should pay attention to the possibility of adjusting the height of the structure so that the little one holds his back straight when moving, only then the benefit of the wheelchair-walker will be noticeable.
- The material should be chosen that is strong and environmentally friendly.
- Walkers must maintain balance; It is better that they are equipped with a table with educational toys.
- Before purchasing, you should read reviews about the models you like.
Device
There are two types of baby walkers: walkers with a seat and gurneys.
These types are quite different from each other, although they have the same function: supporting the baby in the first year of life. The design of the walker with the seat is simple. It consists of wheels, a frame, a special seat and a table top.
Very often, the addition includes musical and gaming elements (flashing buttons, hanging rattles, mini-labyrinths and similar accessories).
When buying such walkers, you need to consider the following features:
- They are selected according to the height and weight of the child. Correct height adjustment eliminates the negative impact on joints.
- The seat should be deep, with a removable cover made of waterproof material that is easy to clean at home, non-toxic, dense and durable. To prevent your baby from having unpleasant sensations in the groin, you should not choose walkers with a narrow seat.
- The back is hard and smooth. This helps to form correct posture and reduce the load on the growing spine.
- The larger the base of the wheels around the perimeter, the more significantly they create stability and dynamism for various, including unexpected, maneuvers. The best option is 6-8 pieces. An additional advantage of the model is that if the wheels are removable: they are easy to wash and clear of debris. You should choose a design with rubber or silicone coating on wheels; they do not make noise and do not damage the floor covering. It is necessary to have a brake clamp - a stopper, using which you can stop the baby for a short time.
- Next is the base. The stability of the walker depends on the ratio of the tabletop and the perimeter of the base: the base should be 1.5-2 times wider. Developed in two types: round and rectangular. A device with a rectangular base is safer for a child than one with a round base, since the latter are less stable and more often turn over with the kids.
- Bumpers made of rubber or silicone are also not superfluous. They protect furniture from damage and scratches.
- Table. It is best to choose one with a removable gaming panel. All parts must be attached properly, and if the toys are removable, there should be no holes under them that are dangerous for the young explorer’s fingers.
- Additionally, the walker can be folded like an accordion for convenience.
Baby in a walker
The gurneys do not have a special seat, and the child is not limited in his movement. At any moment he can move away from her and return back if he wants, that is, he does not need outside help.
It is best to use this device when the baby has already learned to stand upright and has taken his first steps, holding his mother’s hand.
When choosing this device, you should pay attention to the following points:
- The product should be maneuverable and easily turnable in any direction by a child.
- The gurney requires maximum resistance to distortion. If the baby stumbles, she should not bend over.
- The outer covering should be hypoallergenic, and all parts should be screwed tightly so that a curious baby cannot swallow or inhale anything.
Rubberized wheels are a must. Otherwise, the risk of slipping on a smooth floor is high and the baby is likely to suffer serious injury.
