Should I Use a Walker for My Baby to Walk Quickly?

When Does Baby Walker Use Start?

Experts, who state that the baby's walking phase begins after crawling, and therefore the danger at home increases, say that parents should constantly take care of him in the months when the child reaches this stage. Walkers, popularly known as spiders, are among the most used walking tools that help babies walk when they start walking. However, Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialists state that the walker for babies has disadvantages as well as benefits. Do 4, 5, 6 month old babies ride on a walker? Specialist physicians, who make some recommendations about the use of walkers in babies, say the following about the earliest months at which the baby / child should use the walker;

At How Many Months Do Babies Use Walkers?

The spider (walker), which helps babies to walk at the beginning of walking, gives the baby the power to move independently. Thus, the baby, who has been dependent on his mother for his needs and actions since birth, begins to act as an independent individual at this stage. In this way, the mother can do her work at home more comfortably. Independent movement of the baby causes home accidents, especially falling. For this reason, mothers should keep their eyes on their babies in the months when the baby starts to use the walker. Specialist doctors do not recommend that babies stay in the walker for a long time, because they show the disruption of the natural process of the baby's normal developmental stages such as crawling, climbing, holding and walking. Experts do not recommend that the baby / child ride on the walker for the first eight (8) months, if the walker is to be used, the baby should be on the 8th (8) month.

Harms of Baby Riding on a Walker

The use of walkers is among the most discussed issues in the walking process of babies. Well, should baby walkers be used? Families, especially babies 4-7. They buy a walker for their babies and make them use it, either by themselves or by the pressure of the environment. However, experts state that the walker causes interruptions and pauses during the baby's natural walking periods (the collapse period where he cannot fully step, the reflexes period, the sequence-walking periods and the voluntary periods when he steps back on his feet). The harmful and negative effects of the walker for the baby can be listed as follows:

Babies Using Walkers Walk Later

According to scientific research published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics conducted by A. Siegel, who works in the Department of Psychology at Case Western Reserve University in 1999, it has been determined that babies who use walkers sit, crawl and walk later than those who do not. Apart from this, the negative effects of the walker on babies are listed as follows;

• It can cause spinal curvatures such as scoliosis and kyphosis, since the baby's body is not ready to stand upright yet, according to the force of gravity, so the baby will lean when he gets on the walker,
• Since the baby's foot is considered premature before the age of 1, using a walker before the mentioned months may cause foot deformity in the baby,

• As the hip anatomy of the baby is not yet fully developed and the whole body weight is loaded on the hip, various problems may occur in the baby's hip in the future,
• Contrary to popular belief, the baby does not walk on a walker, he just pushes with his feet. Due to the short length of the leg, it presses on the tip of the toe and this causes a habit. When the baby walks, he can walk on his toes,
• Since the child riding the walker will move independently, he can pull the tablecloth and drop heavy objects on the table,
• Apart from this, it may face many unimaginable dangers,
• In studies conducted in the United States, among the causes of head trauma among infants aged 1-12 months, walker accidents have been identified with a rate of 90%.
• Staying in a limited space can negatively affect the psychological development of the baby.

Use of a walker is not recommended

The use of walkers is not recommended by experts due to the above mentioned drawbacks (physical, mental and psychological), dangerous situations and harms in the walking process of babies.

What Can Be Used Instead of Walker?

For the reasons mentioned above regarding the walker, specialist doctors recommend that your baby play freely on a cover that you have opened on the ground, instead of using a walker, in order to have a healthy baby mentally, physically and psychologically. They state that it would be more beneficial for the child to try to push the toy stroller or push a chair instead of using a walker so that he can learn to walk.