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Baby walkers may be cute, but experts warn that they’re deceptively dangerous. According to an alarming NPR report, walkers are responsible for over 2,000 hospital emergency room visits every year. Additionally, a study recently published in the journal Pediatrics reveals that 230,000 children under the age of 15 months were treated in United States emergency departments for walker-related injuries such as concussions and skull fractures. Read on to learn more about the dangers of walkers — and how they cause developmental delays.
Why Are Walkers So Dangerous?
Experts have long regarded walkers as a hazard. Already in 1994, the Consumer Products Safety Commission declared that walkers caused more injuries than any other product marketed for children. They are uniquely dangerous because they grant infants mobility far beyond what they’d normally be capable of, while also making it difficult for parents to respond. Common walker-related issues include:
Injuries often occur as infants fall down stairs or off ledges. Sometimes, however, injuries result from infants reaching objects or surfaces parents might otherwise assume are inaccessible.
Acclaimed pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene tells the New York Times that rather than developing motor ability, walkers actually hinder it. Furthermore, walkers can also delay mental development. Experts believe that every 24 hours of walker use can result in delays of up to three full days.
If you’ve been thinking of placing your infant in a walker, think again. Allowing your child to develop motor skills slowly and naturally will ultimately do him or her a world of good.
Was your child harmed by an infant walker or some other product? Opportunities for recourse may be available. Contact Regan Zambri & Long PLLC at your earliest convenience to learn more about our approach to personal injury law.
Tagged ChildSafety, ProductSafety 