Say "No" to baby walkers - Active Babies Smart Kids

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Dr Jane Williams and Bindy Cummings

Are you thinking about purchasing a baby walker for your baby? At GymbaROO and KindyROO we would like to help you decide against such a purchase, and here’s why….

Will a baby walker help my child’s development?

The simple answer is – no. It can actually have the opposite effect – it can delay your baby’s motor and milestone development and also hinder your child’s mental and learning development.

Research has found that those who use baby walkers are generally slower to crawl, stand and walk than babies who are left to develop the skills naturally.¹ Recent research adds to this, finding that walkers ‘impair infant’s motor and mental development.’⁴

One of the problems with baby walkers is that a baby can move around without carrying his or her own body weight. The muscles and bones of the upper body, back, tummy and legs do not gain strength in the normal way and this, in turn, affects posture and balance. It also means that the nervous system is deprived of essential sensory information required for good fine and gross motor coordination, body control and for right and left-hemisphere development of the brain. This development is normally and naturally acquired through the movements of tummy time, crawling, creeping and cruising.

Find tips for tummy time here.

A study in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics recently reported that babies who were placed regularly in walkers showed delays in memory, language, and learning⁴, adding more weight to previous findings that babies who had been in walkers did not perform as well in simple mental tests.²

At GymbaROO and KindyROO we maintain that babies who do not crawl and creep are less likely to inhibit all the primitive reflexes of infancy, nor develop strong postural reflexes. This can have long term, ongoing implications for both physical development and learning ability.

Paediatricians and physiotherapists have other specific concerns about walkers:

Walkers may contribute to difficulty with feet because they often cause babies to walk on their toes or roll their feet in onto their arches. Access our online video on great activities for baby’s foot development here.
Walkers may force babies into an upright position before they are naturally ready. This in turn can cause them to scrunch forward or arch their backs – both of which impede breathing and development.
Babies who arch their backs because of walkers may suffer from back pain in adult years.

Using a baby walker also greatly increases a baby’s risk of injury from falling, burns, poisoning and drownings.³

Several countries have totally banned baby walkers.

We also advise against Bumbo style ‘baby seats’. Read why here: ‘Baby Seat’ devices and propping your baby to sit. Please avoid.

For more important information on baby development enjoy our free online series, our wealth of parent articles and come join the fun and learning at GymbaROO / KindyROO.

Active Babies Smart Kids – Online Baby Classes

GymbaROO-KindyROO’s online series of baby classes is taking the parenting world by storm! It is highly recommended by doctors, paediatricians, early childhood experts and the Maternal Child and Family Health Nurses Association. This series is being called: “The essential guide for parents”. Join the thousands of parents already playing with their babies from birth, in the best way for brain and body development and laying crucial foundations for future learning. What happens in the first year, not only matters, it matters a lot!

Active Babies Smart Kids BabyROO series – Click here.

Try the first class FREE! Click here to watch our Active Babies Smart Kids Episode 1 – Tummy Time

Dr Jane Williams (PhD, BMgt, RN(Paeds)) is the Research and Education General Manager for GymbaROO and KindyROO. Dr Williams is one of Australia’s leading experts on baby and child development. More on Dr Williams here.

Bindy Cummings (B.Ed(Human Movement) Hons) has worked as a teacher, child development consultant, early childhood development lecturer, teacher trainer and INPP & iLS consultant. She is the co-creator of GymbaROO’s Active Babies Smart Kids online series, has authored many published articles on child development. She is working on the content and development GymbaROO’s portal and online training programs, and the creation of new online programs for parents and children. More on Bindy Cummings here.

References: 1. Garrett M., McElroy A.M., & Staines, A. (2002). Locomotor milestones and babywalkers: cross-sectional study. BMJ 324:1494(22 June). 2. Siegel A.C. & Burton R.V. (1999). Effects of baby walkers on motor and mental development in human infants. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics. 20:355–361. 3. ACCC. (2013). Product safety Australia: Babywalkers. http://www.productsafety.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/973743#h3_21 4.http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/14/science/baby-walkers-may-slow-infants-development.html?mcubz=2

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