「Baby walkers help babies walk sooner」

Where the claim comes from

A baby in a walker can push off and cross the room, which looks like walking ahead of schedule — and it frees the adult's hands, so walkers have been handed down for generations. But the wheels are doing the travelling; that is not the same as learning to walk.

What the evidence says

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) makes two points. First, walkers do not help: they do not teach a child to walk and can actually delay when walking starts. Second, they are dangerous: a child in a walker can move more than 3 feet (about 1 metre) in one second, too fast for an adult standing right there — most walker injuries happen while someone is watching. Rolling down stairs is the most common, causing broken bones and severe head injuries. The extra reach puts tablecloths, pot handles on the stove and heaters within range, and there are drowning risks (pools, bathtubs) and poisoning risks from objects that used to be out of reach. The AAP has called for a ban on the manufacture and sale of wheeled baby walkers; Canada has already banned them.

What to do instead

• Do not buy or use a wheeled walker, and do not keep one that was given to you.
• For somewhere to play, choose a stationary activity centre with no wheels.
• Use a play yard or playpen as a safe zone for practising sitting, crawling and walking.
• Older babies can sit in a high chair and play with toys on the tray.