I went back and forth on this topic a lot during my pregnancy and decided unequivocally no walkers or jumpers. Now that baby is here, and I have a large empty apartment with very few things to pull to stand with I decided to buy a "push" walker. I think the biggest problems with these types of items is that parents are lead to believe babies ~need them~ and rely on them instead of nature to "teach" their babies how to walk. I think these items are extremely dangerous for a baby who doesn't know how to walk yet and some parents use them for extended periods. I saw a great hack from a physiotherapist who suggested adding weight (such as a bag of rice) to one of those basic wood walkers to keep it from moving. Once the baby is older and can walk independently reduce or remove the weight so they can use it as a fun toy. I ended up getting one that looks like a baby carriage. Super cute, and will one day make an excellent toy. Might put some plushies or toys inside to cover the weight and act as a cute toy box for now. Awareness does so much to reduce the negative impact of these items. Great video, keep making parents aware of the negative effects, but for parents who have already purchased these items or want to use them for whatever reason offering some suggestions on risk reduction would be awesome!
Just bought a push walker secondhand today and found this in my suggested videos lol. A paediatric occupational therapist on YT recommended it so interesting how professionals have differing views…
Occupational therapists usually appreciate toys attached to these devices, which are certainly attractive and may have developing qualities for the child. We, as physiotherapists, pay more attention to motor skills, which, unfortunately, are disturbed by such devices. There is nothing wrong with using toys placed on these products, it is just wrong teaching children to walk in them. In addition, almost always, especially on the Internet, if someone recommends something, they profit from it. If you criticize something that someone else benefits from, you are under attack (and I've experienced it already). Fortunately, we have research studies that manufacturers just can't argue with. I hope your baby has already learned to walk! Have a great day :)
@@katephysiotherapistwithbraid Thanks! I appreciate this perspective. My little guy isn't walking yet and prefers to cruise against furniture and stronger structures. Most of the time, his push walker is propped against a wall so I think I'll just keep it that way
Looking at the comments I see many parents being offended by this video. She is simply saying that these devices are not required as baby can and will walk naturally better without them. These are marketing gimmicks and as parents we can opt out and not buy them without the societal pressure. She is not saying that you as parents have done a bad job by giving them walkers. She is just trying to break the myth that there is no benefit of accelerating the walking process. Of course the best part of walkers and jumpers is that it keeps baby busy and helps us as parents, so buy them for that reason and not to make your babies walk faster
Very comprehensive and scientific review. In the 1980's, the walkers were very much in fashion . My friend had her daughter sitting in it all day and zooming all over the house in a fast pace.Due to that "fake walking" ,that baby girl skipped the natural crawling phase all together .I was not in favor of them nor in the 1980's( with my son )niether with my grandchildren now a days. Back then we did not have social media nor tutorial clips to guide us in the right direction ,but intuitively I absolutely hated these walkers.The best is to avoid the pushing walkers all together. However , if you feel that you must use them ,do it with moderation and wait till the child can already walk on his own.
Lol I was thinking to buy walker and browsing which one is best but don't know how I jump here. Now my mind change. And by the way my son completed eight months but still he can't able to sit by himself where as my friend son who is two months younger can able to sit by his own..
There should not be any added artificial "training" when it comes to ability to sit, stand and walk. The natural psychomotoric development is crucial, babies strengthen their muscles gradually, skipping any part of this development can be very harmful in the future.
My baby will be 18 months tomorrow and still doesn't walk by herself. She can cruise and stand very well using walls, doors, furniture, she has been doing physiotherapie since she is 15 months, the therapist doesn't find anything wrong with her. I am so frustrated because I don't know what else to do to encourage her. The therapist herself is out of options too, the last suggestion is support her torso from behind, at least she let's me know, she won't even accept my help, I don't know what else to do
Thank you, my daughter is already 1 year old just few days ago, she’s crawling while lifting her butt. I thought I should buy this to help her but I changed my mind.
thank u for making this video, what if baby( 12mo)pushes furnitures to walk, is that okay? my baby himself started to push a toy car which he got as a gift, that is light weight so I was searching which push walker to buy, I knew about sit walker's doesn't help, but now i learned that push walker also not needed.
We bought a walker to my 9 month baby but the moment I noticed he is bending his feet to push himself, I throw the walker away. One month later my baby start to sit by himself and started crawling.
I’m so upset! I wish I saw this sooner... I was watching the video by Emma Hubbard who promotes the push walker! So I got one... clearly she didn’t do her research. Plus - my baby (now 12 months) was pushing his high chair so it seemed like an alternative to that... is there anything I can do to correct any pathological gait pattern?? Of course I put it away... I’m really sad about this.
My boy will be 8months and he has a walker. The deal here is that the walker is actually for me so I can throw him inside there and have some minutes of work done. Once I am not working, he allowed him crawl around, push up on the cushions, tables and my stomach. He is doing well even with or without the walker because he just started attempting to stand on his own.
Thanks so much for this truly informative video. It would be good to link the research articles if you can. It’s well known in the medical community that these objects aren’t good for children. Unfortunately not widely publicized.
Thank you very much! Links to important sites: - Kanadian baby-walkers ban: www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/reports-publications/industry-professionals/canada-consumer-product-safety-act-guide.html#a12 - Infant Walker-Related Injuries in the United States: publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/142/4/e20174332/37420/Infant-Walker-Related-Injuries-in-the-United?redirectedFrom=fulltext Baby walkers DO NOT SPEED the moment your baby starts walking: - Effect of Baby Walker Use on Developmental Status based on Ages and Stages Questionnaire Score (ASQ) Omid Yaghini, Mehrdad Goodarzi et al. Iran J Child Neurol Winter 2020;14(1):105-111. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32021634/ - Effects of baby walker use on the development of gait by typically developing toddlers. Paula S.C. Chagasa, Sergio T Fonseca et al. Gait & Posture Vol 76, February 2020, p 231-237 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31874455/ - The effects of babywalkers on early locomotor development. Crouchman M. Dev Med Child Neurol. 1986;28:757-761 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3817314/ - Influence of an infant walker on onset and quality of walking pattern of locomotion: an electromyographic investigation. Kauffman IB, Ridenour M. Percept Mot Skills.1977;45(3 Pt 2):1323-9. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/564503/ - Infant walkers: developmental tool or inherent danger. Ridenour MV. Percept Mot Skills.1982;55(3 Pt 2):1201-2. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7167311/ - Beliefs about the use of baby walkers. Chagas PS, Mancini MC et al. Rev Bras Fisioter. 2011;15(4):303-9. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21877062/ All links are also in the movie description. Have a great day! :D
Everything you're saying is correct. However, I do think that all these devices can serve as good supplemental tools if they're used thoughtfulfully during training sessions. Perhaps I take this statement lightly because I'm a gymnastics teacher and I've taught kids gymnastics. However, I do agree that none of these devices should be used for extended periods of time or unsupervised use or even just as babysitters. Same thing with screens and the the like.
My baby has low muscle tone and I'm buying everything on the market to help him. 12 months and has been rolling for a while. He just started putting a little weight on his feet and doing that riding thing. I feel so helpless sometimes. Physiotherapy doesn't seem to help.
My son is with cp... he is just 3yrs old. He always on lying position. I bought jumper for his refreshment.. He is very happily jumping.. I thought its good. After seeing your post I feel quite upset on myself...
Hello! Absolutely do not feel upset, you should just consult your physiotherapist. In some cases, the jumper can be used in children with CP, but not as a toy, but with the close participation of the physiotherapist's hands. Then the therapist provokes proper weighting down the lower limbs and usually exercises trunk tilts to improve the child's balance and head control. Your physical therapist can teach you how to do these exercises at home. On the other hand, the age of 3 years is the age when we should seriously think about using standing frames in children with CP. Of course, it all depends on your child's GMFCS level and the type of CP your child has.
I don’t have any of these ”toys”, but one of my twins in particular has been flexing his legs straight almost whenever I lift him, and ”stands”. He’s 6,5 months and has been doing it since at least 5 months or a bit longer. I wonder if this will cause a problem because of course this happens when we are holding him, either lifting him off the changing table he will stand there, or adjusting him on our laps he will stand there, but of course part of his weight is held up by us and he gets stability from us holding around his ribs. Is this a problem? It’s very clearly something he loves doing and he started it on his own. The other twin is heavier and has only now started doing it a bit, and here it was more I that took the initiative. Should I stop holding him to help him try his legs? They both look so proud.
Hello! What you are describing is absolutely normal behavior for a child. Antigravity reactions are activated and the child wants to stand, because it is "programmed" like that. Therefore, don't worry. If you do it once in a while, it won't be a problem, especially in a neurologically healthy baby. Let both babies spend as much time on the floor as possible. It is best for the child to learn to get up on his own with small objects. Diaper boxes (weighted in the middle), soft low sofas or benches (just pay attention to the corners) work great. The child also improves the ability to achieve a standing position by climbing on the parents. Have a great day!
I do not recommend using any chairs in which the child is seated with the hips bent 90 degrees until the child sits up by himself. There is a world of difference between whether the child is seated by itself or when the child is seated by other person. I'll try to make a movie about it soon. As for the pacifiers - I am not a speech therapist, but from my cooperation with them, I conclude that it will not be a bad thing if we pick it up in time. The maximum limit is 12 months. A pacifier kept longer than this time may cause speech development disorders (the child may have difficulty pronouncing some sounds and syllables).
Same here. I noticed the leaning forward with my daughter but I didn't think much about it. I was just trying to find a safer alternative to the sit in walkers.
What if a child stands n trying to walk independently but keeps falling. Baby walker used many years in all families its safe if bsby knows how to touch floor but needs the encouragement to continue walking
Lol you already have one pis** of producer :) Really how much you have to be cash-oriented to create products that are proven to be harmful.. anyway great video Kate, as usual. My friend's kid struggled with toe gait for a long time, he was suspected cerebral palsy in the beginning, but fortunatelly it was not the case. He was kept in baby walker since 7 months old. Rehabilitation took 2 years.
Thank you for the comment. I am more than sure there will be more angry birds :) as I say - I don't care, these are facts and it has to be said. Suspecting CP always causes a lot of stress. Many parents unknowingly risk it.
My mom waited until my feet could firmly be planted on the ground in the jumper. I was around 2 years old at the time and hadn't learned to walk yet still and had just learned to stand, plus I liked bouncing, and apparently babies bouncing and groin areas don't go together...*
Both my adult kids had a baby walker when they were babies, neither had a single acccident and both walked on their own by 10 months. I think my baby walkers were wonderful, the baby was able to get around the house on his and her own whereever I was. Further more both kids as they grew were sporty with my daughter being her schools top sports female in running. My son was a top cricketer so neither were negatively affected by a baby walker. Neither have had a single muscular or hip issue, both are fully grown now so sorry but I disagree with this info.
My plans to buy a baby walker is cancelled my baby girl is 5months and she can sit by her own I wanted to buy a walker for her because she is active but not anymore.
Ivana, in my experience 99% will be fine. If the child does not walk alone, but stands up with objects (important - both with the right and left leg), and crawls (important - symmetrically), we have nothing to worry about. The time frame within which a child should take their first steps on their own is 12-18 months. If the child stands next to objects, such as a sofa or coffee table, you can try to distance them from each other and encourage baby to take independent steps between these items. However, do not give the child a hand, do not support the child's trunk, let them do this on their own. Encourage child with a favorite toy or food. Of course, we are talking about a neurologically healthy child who has not been diagnosed with any neurological deficits or genetic defects. In neurologically healthy children, walking late (but still within normal limits) is often the result of decreased muscle tone. This, in turn, often goes hand in hand with maternal thyroid disease, maternal hypertension, gestational diabetes and/or the specific course of labor itself. Usually these are children who achieve ALL skills late - but not too late, still within the developmental limit (later than others, the child starts to roll, sit, crawl and walk). In this case, the baby's motor development will be late but normal and we have nothing to worry about. At a distance, however, it is difficult for me to say with 100% certainty that this is the case. So if you have any doubts as to whether your child is developing well, let a pediatric physiotherapist in your area see it. Have a great day! :) Kate
This just shows how stupid this country is, due to parents negligence you ban products and then say "developement" what about the non hip safe carriers? Can sell a bunch of shit here that should be illegal but God forbid you have a baby walker. Grown up to become an adult that needs adults to tell me how to live. You need a license and permission from the government to literally do anything now. This isn't freedom
Not convinced, two generations of our family used walkers with no problems. Head injuries ? Again, it's not convincing. Why blame walkers? Parental supervision is to blame. You live at the top of the stairs, then put up a gate or other measures. Don't blame the walker, blame the parents.
Kate what do you think about activity centers where the baby can rest their foot flat? Such as the skiphop. Are they just as bad? How much time per day would you limit their use to?
I did not know this equipment, but after typing in the search engine, I can see that it is a device in which the child's pelvis is placed in a supporting hammock anyway, as in the case of walkers. I understand that the height of this leg platform can be adjusted. The only question is what for? I have the impression that it is a pseudo-improvement that does not contribute anything to the development of motor skills. It is simply passive positioning of the baby in a standing position. And we don't want to put the child on its feet, we want it to stand up by itself. We want it to learn by itself how to get up by reacting with the ground. To sum up, I would give it to a child who is already able to stand up on his own, to walk around it and to play toys on top of it. It's nice that you can make a table out of it for the future. But I wouldn't put a child that is not standing by itself inside this device. However, this is only my personal opinion, I suspect that the manufacturer has a different one :)
@@katephysiotherapistwithbraid thank you so much for taking the time to look up the product and respond! Some physical therapists say it's ok but others don't think so and after hearing your explanation I can see why it isn't. I appreciate your perspective.
My son used a bouncy swing and has never had issues walking. In fact, he was walking by 9 months, which some people say is earlier than usual. He’s 5 now . Don’t let this lady scare you.
I'm not scaring anyone. I'm just saying (according to scientific research) that these devices are useless when it comes to teaching children how to walk, and additionally they are potentially dangerous (which is also scientifically proven - please see the video description, there you will find links to scientific articles and studies) . And yes, in Canada the sale of baby walkers is prohibited by law. I didn't come up with this (you mentioned it before editing your comment). I'm simply against pushing unnecessary bull*** and useless products onto parents. And I'm really glad that your baby is healthy. Have a nice day.
Hello. Thank you for the comment, but I strongly disagree. I see nothing funny about it. It's a bit like saying that smoking is safe because you've smoked all your life and you didn't get cancer. An estimated 230 676 children
I disagree with the push walkers. Occupational therapists don't say they are bad. Yes Jumpers and baby walker limit movement of the hips which is terrible, but not push Walkers. Essentially learning how to walk in effect is learning how to catch yourself how to fall. They will pull on the parents in the beginning anyway. You can always watch to make sure the feet are flat when they are pushing the cart.
Thank you for your comment! Let me explain why I disagree with your statement: occupational therapists recommend pushwalkers due to the large number of fantastic toys that a child can play with, develop their precise motor skills (which is great!), BUT in most cases they do not know exactly the issues related to the shaping of the gait pattern in infants. Learning to stand or walk, a child strives to achieve balance with the lowest possible energy cost (what we use in adulthood). By building a standing position in reaction with the ground, baby will learn it fastest. If you give him a pushwalker, which is on wheels and keeps driving away all the time (!) - the child will have to tilt the torso, tighten the shoulders, shifting the center of gravity too much forward. You can try it on yourself by pushing the shopping cart for few minutes with your trunk flexed - see how much energy it will be for you and notice that after a while your body will let you know that it is overloading. It is exactly the same with a child. You write that the pusher does not restrict hip movements, which is not entirely true. I agree that this limitation is much greater in the case of walkers or jumpers, but if we analyze a child's gait with a pusher, it also occurs. The important thing here is the femoral antetorsion angle, which changes as the child learns to walk (it grows steadily from birth, reaching 35 degrees around the age of two, and then decreases to a typical adult value of around 12 degrees). It is this angle that is responsible for the way the child places a load on the lower limb - the child's first steps are on a wide base and the torso should lean out laterally (like a duck). The first steps load the entire foot at the same time, reducing pressure per unit area, while still securing the cartilageous, soft structure of the foot arch. If you give a child a pusher - it will start to overload the forefoot against the natural, physiological development of the hip joint. And of course, you can say the baby only uses the pusher for a while and the impact is small. The truth is, a healthy baby doesn't need a walker, jumper or pusher to learn to stand and walk - so why to buy one? But if a child has deficits, for example in the form of abnormal muscle tone or foot defects - then such devices unfortunatelly escalate the problem. Have a great day! Kate :)
@@katephysiotherapistwithbraid when babies walk with parents they also pull on them forward, so are you saying parents should be removed? How will they ever be able to learn how to walk? By magic?
@@sleepysundaykittens3212 Wow, what's the sarcasm for? Both standing and walking are part of a child's neurophysiological development, and a healthy child really does not need any help of any kind to achieve these abilities. Just like you don't teach a healthy baby how to roll or crawl, he or she will do it on their own, because it is encoded in the nervous system.
Most of the claims are that they do not benefit early walking… I believe a child walks when they are ready as they get stronger so just giving any such devices will not accelerate the process.
LMAO no harm in using them. My son has a jumpy swing and a walker. They make him happy Im not taking them from him. And he will only walk in his walker so until he can walk without it he's going to keep using it
I went back and forth on this topic a lot during my pregnancy and decided unequivocally no walkers or jumpers. Now that baby is here, and I have a large empty apartment with very few things to pull to stand with I decided to buy a "push" walker. I think the biggest problems with these types of items is that parents are lead to believe babies ~need them~ and rely on them instead of nature to "teach" their babies how to walk. I think these items are extremely dangerous for a baby who doesn't know how to walk yet and some parents use them for extended periods. I saw a great hack from a physiotherapist who suggested adding weight (such as a bag of rice) to one of those basic wood walkers to keep it from moving. Once the baby is older and can walk independently reduce or remove the weight so they can use it as a fun toy. I ended up getting one that looks like a baby carriage. Super cute, and will one day make an excellent toy. Might put some plushies or toys inside to cover the weight and act as a cute toy box for now. Awareness does so much to reduce the negative impact of these items. Great video, keep making parents aware of the negative effects, but for parents who have already purchased these items or want to use them for whatever reason offering some suggestions on risk reduction would be awesome!
Just bought a push walker secondhand today and found this in my suggested videos lol. A paediatric occupational therapist on YT recommended it so interesting how professionals have differing views…
Occupational therapists usually appreciate toys attached to these devices, which are certainly attractive and may have developing qualities for the child. We, as physiotherapists, pay more attention to motor skills, which, unfortunately, are disturbed by such devices. There is nothing wrong with using toys placed on these products, it is just wrong teaching children to walk in them.
In addition, almost always, especially on the Internet, if someone recommends something, they profit from it. If you criticize something that someone else benefits from, you are under attack (and I've experienced it already). Fortunately, we have research studies that manufacturers just can't argue with.
I hope your baby has already learned to walk! Have a great day :)
@@katephysiotherapistwithbraid Thanks! I appreciate this perspective. My little guy isn't walking yet and prefers to cruise against furniture and stronger structures. Most of the time, his push walker is propped against a wall so I think I'll just keep it that way
Looking at the comments I see many parents being offended by this video. She is simply saying that these devices are not required as baby can and will walk naturally better without them. These are marketing gimmicks and as parents we can opt out and not buy them without the societal pressure. She is not saying that you as parents have done a bad job by giving them walkers. She is just trying to break the myth that there is no benefit of accelerating the walking process. Of course the best part of walkers and jumpers is that it keeps baby busy and helps us as parents, so buy them for that reason and not to make your babies walk faster
Very comprehensive and scientific review. In the 1980's, the walkers were very much in fashion . My friend had her daughter sitting in it all day and zooming all over the house in a fast pace.Due to that "fake walking" ,that baby girl skipped the natural crawling phase all together .I was not in favor of them nor in the 1980's( with my son )niether with my grandchildren now a days. Back then we did not have social media nor tutorial clips to guide us in the right direction ,but intuitively I absolutely hated these walkers.The best is to avoid the pushing walkers all together. However , if you feel that you must use them ,do it with moderation and wait till the child can already walk on his own.
Packing up my baby's walker. Thank you for this
Lol I was thinking to buy walker and browsing which one is best but don't know how I jump here. Now my mind change. And by the way my son completed eight months but still he can't able to sit by himself where as my friend son who is two months younger can able to sit by his own..
I put my baby in a walker, he lasted one week. The next week he was walking on his own without the walker at 9 months old
Solution: Watch your children
THANK YOU!I was going to buy one, and was doing my research. So glad I stumbled upon your video!!!these are so unsafe😥
Glad I could help!
My daughter loves her jumper and is on the cusp of walking at 5 months. She stands on her own just fine due to that training.
There should not be any added artificial "training" when it comes to ability to sit, stand and walk. The natural psychomotoric development is crucial, babies strengthen their muscles gradually, skipping any part of this development can be very harmful in the future.
My baby will be 18 months tomorrow and still doesn't walk by herself. She can cruise and stand very well using walls, doors, furniture, she has been doing physiotherapie since she is 15 months, the therapist doesn't find anything wrong with her. I am so frustrated because I don't know what else to do to encourage her. The therapist herself is out of options too, the last suggestion is support her torso from behind, at least she let's me know, she won't even accept my help, I don't know what else to do
Is she walking now
Thank you for the information, I was about to buy one, but I won't be getting it anymore.
Glad I could help. Have a nice day! :)
Very clear, thorough, and well researched information. Thanks!
So nice of you. Thank you :)
God bless you for uploading such an honest and informative video. We will not be purchasing any products such as this.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you, my daughter is already 1 year old just few days ago, she’s crawling while lifting her butt. I thought I should buy this to help her but I changed my mind.
thank u for making this video, what if baby( 12mo)pushes furnitures to walk, is that okay? my baby himself started to push a toy car which he got as a gift, that is light weight so I was searching which push walker to buy, I knew about sit walker's doesn't help, but now i learned that push walker also not needed.
My baby brother used walkers when he was a baby. Now he walks all day and play basketball
We bought a walker to my 9 month baby but the moment I noticed he is bending his feet to push himself, I throw the walker away. One month later my baby start to sit by himself and started crawling.
Thank you for this video! I really want let my son develop all these skills and mute ever other parent's advice.
Glad it was helpful!
I’m so upset! I wish I saw this sooner... I was watching the video by Emma Hubbard who promotes the push walker! So I got one... clearly she didn’t do her research. Plus - my baby (now 12 months) was pushing his high chair so it seemed like an alternative to that...
is there anything I can do to correct any pathological gait pattern?? Of course I put it away... I’m really sad about this.
Also what signs should I look for to see if there are any problems? I’m so sad :(
A year h as gone past since your comment, I bet nothing happened to your child for using the walker ?
My boy will be 8months and he has a walker. The deal here is that the walker is actually for me so I can throw him inside there and have some minutes of work done.
Once I am not working, he allowed him crawl around, push up on the cushions, tables and my stomach.
He is doing well even with or without the walker because he just started attempting to stand on his own.
Exactly... The walker is for me.
Thank you so much! I am going to follow your advice for sure. God bless you!
You are so welcome! :) God bless you too!
Watching from kenya ❤️❤️❤️❤️Kate you explain well
😂 mko kila mahali
Useful information 👍🏻👍🏻thank you 😊
Thanks so much for this truly informative video. It would be good to link the research articles if you can. It’s well known in the medical community that these objects aren’t good for children. Unfortunately not widely publicized.
Thank you very much!
Links to important sites:
- Kanadian baby-walkers ban:
www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/reports-publications/industry-professionals/canada-consumer-product-safety-act-guide.html#a12
- Infant Walker-Related Injuries in the United States:
publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/142/4/e20174332/37420/Infant-Walker-Related-Injuries-in-the-United?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Baby walkers DO NOT SPEED the moment your baby starts walking:
- Effect of Baby Walker Use on Developmental Status based on Ages and Stages Questionnaire Score (ASQ) Omid Yaghini, Mehrdad Goodarzi et al. Iran J Child Neurol Winter 2020;14(1):105-111.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32021634/
- Effects of baby walker use on the development of gait by typically developing toddlers.
Paula S.C. Chagasa, Sergio T Fonseca et al. Gait & Posture Vol 76, February 2020, p 231-237
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31874455/
- The effects of babywalkers on early locomotor development.
Crouchman M. Dev Med Child Neurol. 1986;28:757-761
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3817314/
- Influence of an infant walker on onset and quality of walking pattern of locomotion: an electromyographic investigation.
Kauffman IB, Ridenour M. Percept Mot Skills.1977;45(3 Pt 2):1323-9.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/564503/
- Infant walkers: developmental tool or inherent danger.
Ridenour MV. Percept Mot Skills.1982;55(3 Pt 2):1201-2.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7167311/
- Beliefs about the use of baby walkers.
Chagas PS, Mancini MC et al. Rev Bras Fisioter. 2011;15(4):303-9.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21877062/
All links are also in the movie description.
Have a great day! :D
Everything you're saying is correct. However, I do think that all these devices can serve as good supplemental tools if they're used thoughtfulfully during training sessions. Perhaps I take this statement lightly because I'm a gymnastics teacher and I've taught kids gymnastics. However, I do agree that none of these devices should be used for extended periods of time or unsupervised use or even just as babysitters. Same thing with screens and the the like.
Thanks for the information! I wanted to buy a jumper. Now im not doing that.
Thank you very much information
My baby has low muscle tone and I'm buying everything on the market to help him.
12 months and has been rolling for a while. He just started putting a little weight on his feet and doing that riding thing.
I feel so helpless sometimes. Physiotherapy doesn't seem to help.
Thank you madam great information
My son is with cp... he is just 3yrs old. He always on lying position. I bought jumper for his refreshment.. He is very happily jumping.. I thought its good. After seeing your post I feel quite upset on myself...
Hello! Absolutely do not feel upset, you should just consult your physiotherapist. In some cases, the jumper can be used in children with CP, but not as a toy, but with the close participation of the physiotherapist's hands. Then the therapist provokes proper weighting down the lower limbs and usually exercises trunk tilts to improve the child's balance and head control. Your physical therapist can teach you how to do these exercises at home. On the other hand, the age of 3 years is the age when we should seriously think about using standing frames in children with CP. Of course, it all depends on your child's GMFCS level and the type of CP your child has.
@@katephysiotherapistwithbraid thank you mam for your advise.. he is with scissor giat.. let me consult.
What about a push car where they sit on it and instead of pedaling they push themselves around?
Explained very good
Thank you for clarifying. Your video is very useful and I can't help but note your English! It's very good 👍
I don’t have any of these ”toys”, but one of my twins in particular has been flexing his legs straight almost whenever I lift him, and ”stands”. He’s 6,5 months and has been doing it since at least 5 months or a bit longer. I wonder if this will cause a problem because of course this happens when we are holding him, either lifting him off the changing table he will stand there, or adjusting him on our laps he will stand there, but of course part of his weight is held up by us and he gets stability from us holding around his ribs. Is this a problem? It’s very clearly something he loves doing and he started it on his own. The other twin is heavier and has only now started doing it a bit, and here it was more I that took the initiative. Should I stop holding him to help him try his legs? They both look so proud.
Hello! What you are describing is absolutely normal behavior for a child. Antigravity reactions are activated and the child wants to stand, because it is "programmed" like that. Therefore, don't worry. If you do it once in a while, it won't be a problem, especially in a neurologically healthy baby. Let both babies spend as much time on the floor as possible. It is best for the child to learn to get up on his own with small objects. Diaper boxes (weighted in the middle), soft low sofas or benches (just pay attention to the corners) work great. The child also improves the ability to achieve a standing position by climbing on the parents. Have a great day!
Thank you. For all the information I believe you. I’m not going to buy the walker en it’s okay if she can’t walk yet.
Please upload more videos about babies. Do you recommend the use of high chair and pacifier?
I do not recommend using any chairs in which the child is seated with the hips bent 90 degrees until the child sits up by himself. There is a world of difference between whether the child is seated by itself or when the child is seated by other person. I'll try to make a movie about it soon.
As for the pacifiers - I am not a speech therapist, but from my cooperation with them, I conclude that it will not be a bad thing if we pick it up in time. The maximum limit is 12 months. A pacifier kept longer than this time may cause speech development disorders (the child may have difficulty pronouncing some sounds and syllables).
@@katephysiotherapistwithbraid Thank you so much for your answer
@@katephysiotherapistwithbraidthanks for the advice on pacifiers
My son is not walking independently.He always wants my hand to walk.He doesn't crawl.He is 17 months.
Thank you super much for your advising us
So nice of you
I used to think that push walkers are safe
Same here. I noticed the leaning forward with my daughter but I didn't think much about it. I was just trying to find a safer alternative to the sit in walkers.
What if a child stands n trying to walk independently but keeps falling. Baby walker used many years in all families its safe if bsby knows how to touch floor but needs the encouragement to continue walking
Thanks a lot ma'm. It's very helpful.
Thank god i saw ur video .i thought of buying push walker...u save my money n also my baby
Good choice
Thank you so much for your honest advice! Most advice on YT is just marketing :( So nice for a change :)
Glad it was helpful!
So what about babies that dont use their legs at all? Cant walk and uses just their arms to "crawl."
Thank you ma'am you help me Lot
Walkers/Jumpers... hell no. Push walkers as a toy, sure. But not push walkers as a crutch.
Lol you already have one pis** of producer :) Really how much you have to be cash-oriented to create products that are proven to be harmful.. anyway great video Kate, as usual. My friend's kid struggled with toe gait for a long time, he was suspected cerebral palsy in the beginning, but fortunatelly it was not the case. He was kept in baby walker since 7 months old. Rehabilitation took 2 years.
Thank you for the comment. I am more than sure there will be more angry birds :) as I say - I don't care, these are facts and it has to be said. Suspecting CP always causes a lot of stress. Many parents unknowingly risk it.
Love this! 🙌🏽
My mom waited until my feet could firmly be planted on the ground in the jumper. I was around 2 years old at the time and hadn't learned to walk yet still and had just learned to stand, plus I liked bouncing, and apparently babies bouncing and groin areas don't go together...*
What happened mine isn't walking yet na ako 2 yrs
Thank you for this video
It's my pleasure
Thank you so much
Both my adult kids had a baby walker when they were babies, neither had a single acccident and both walked on their own by 10 months.
I think my baby walkers were wonderful, the baby was able to get around the house on his and her own whereever I was.
Further more both kids as they grew were sporty with my daughter being her schools top sports female in running.
My son was a top cricketer so neither were negatively affected by a baby walker.
Neither have had a single muscular or hip issue, both are fully grown now so sorry but I disagree with this info.
Love u ❤ Your information is awesome
Thank you ❤️❤️❤️
My plans to buy a baby walker is cancelled my baby girl is 5months and she can sit by her own I wanted to buy a walker for her because she is active but not anymore.
The injuries are from dumb parents letting them roll off stairs. This is bogus
Why bogus?
Kate, what are your thoughts on baby not walking at 15 months (but cruises and crawls)? When would you get worried?
Ivana, in my experience 99% will be fine. If the child does not walk alone, but stands up with objects (important - both with the right and left leg), and crawls (important - symmetrically), we have nothing to worry about. The time frame within which a child should take their first steps on their own is 12-18 months.
If the child stands next to objects, such as a sofa or coffee table, you can try to distance them from each other and encourage baby to take independent steps between these items. However, do not give the child a hand, do not support the child's trunk, let them do this on their own. Encourage child with a favorite toy or food.
Of course, we are talking about a neurologically healthy child who has not been diagnosed with any neurological deficits or genetic defects. In neurologically healthy children, walking late (but still within normal limits) is often the result of decreased muscle tone. This, in turn, often goes hand in hand with maternal thyroid disease, maternal hypertension, gestational diabetes and/or the specific course of labor itself. Usually these are children who achieve ALL skills late - but not too late, still within the developmental limit (later than others, the child starts to roll, sit, crawl and walk). In this case, the baby's motor development will be late but normal and we have nothing to worry about. At a distance, however, it is difficult for me to say with 100% certainty that this is the case. So if you have any doubts as to whether your child is developing well, let a pediatric physiotherapist in your area see it.
Have a great day! :) Kate
This just shows how stupid this country is, due to parents negligence you ban products and then say "developement" what about the non hip safe carriers? Can sell a bunch of shit here that should be illegal but God forbid you have a baby walker. Grown up to become an adult that needs adults to tell me how to live. You need a license and permission from the government to literally do anything now. This isn't freedom
Not convinced, two generations of our family used walkers with no problems.
Head injuries ? Again, it's not convincing. Why blame walkers? Parental supervision is to blame. You live at the top of the stairs, then put up a gate or other measures. Don't blame the walker, blame the parents.
Kate what do you think about activity centers where the baby can rest their foot flat? Such as the skiphop. Are they just as bad? How much time per day would you limit their use to?
I did not know this equipment, but after typing in the search engine, I can see that it is a device in which the child's pelvis is placed in a supporting hammock anyway, as in the case of walkers. I understand that the height of this leg platform can be adjusted. The only question is what for? I have the impression that it is a pseudo-improvement that does not contribute anything to the development of motor skills. It is simply passive positioning of the baby in a standing position. And we don't want to put the child on its feet, we want it to stand up by itself. We want it to learn by itself how to get up by reacting with the ground.
To sum up, I would give it to a child who is already able to stand up on his own, to walk around it and to play toys on top of it. It's nice that you can make a table out of it for the future. But I wouldn't put a child that is not standing by itself inside this device. However, this is only my personal opinion, I suspect that the manufacturer has a different one :)
@@katephysiotherapistwithbraid thank you so much for taking the time to look up the product and respond! Some physical therapists say it's ok but others don't think so and after hearing your explanation I can see why it isn't. I appreciate your perspective.
My son used a bouncy swing and has never had issues walking. In fact, he was walking by 9 months, which some people say is earlier than usual. He’s 5 now . Don’t let this lady scare you.
I'm not scaring anyone. I'm just saying (according to scientific research) that these devices are useless when it comes to teaching children how to walk, and additionally they are potentially dangerous (which is also scientifically proven - please see the video description, there you will find links to scientific articles and studies) . And yes, in Canada the sale of baby walkers is prohibited by law. I didn't come up with this (you mentioned it before editing your comment). I'm simply against pushing unnecessary bull*** and useless products onto parents.
And I'm really glad that your baby is healthy. Have a nice day.
funny that today's adults and we were kids of the 80's and 90's survived the walkers 😆
Hello. Thank you for the comment, but I strongly disagree. I see nothing funny about it. It's a bit like saying that smoking is safe because you've smoked all your life and you didn't get cancer.
An estimated 230 676 children
I disagree with the push walkers. Occupational therapists don't say they are bad. Yes Jumpers and baby walker limit movement of the hips which is terrible, but not push Walkers.
Essentially learning how to walk in effect is learning how to catch yourself how to fall. They will pull on the parents in the beginning anyway. You can always watch to make sure the feet are flat when they are pushing the cart.
Thank you for your comment! Let me explain why I disagree with your statement: occupational therapists recommend pushwalkers due to the large number of fantastic toys that a child can play with, develop their precise motor skills (which is great!),
BUT
in most cases they do not know exactly the issues related to the shaping of the gait pattern in infants. Learning to stand or walk, a child strives to achieve balance with the lowest possible energy cost (what we use in adulthood). By building a standing position in reaction with the ground, baby will learn it fastest. If you give him a pushwalker, which is on wheels and keeps driving away all the time (!) - the child will have to tilt the torso, tighten the shoulders, shifting the center of gravity too much forward. You can try it on yourself by pushing the shopping cart for few minutes with your trunk flexed - see how much energy it will be for you and notice that after a while your body will let you know that it is overloading. It is exactly the same with a child.
You write that the pusher does not restrict hip movements, which is not entirely true. I agree that this limitation is much greater in the case of walkers or jumpers, but if we analyze a child's gait with a pusher, it also occurs. The important thing here is the femoral antetorsion angle, which changes as the child learns to walk (it grows steadily from birth, reaching 35 degrees around the age of two, and then decreases to a typical adult value of around 12 degrees). It is this angle that is responsible for the way the child places a load on the lower limb - the child's first steps are on a wide base and the torso should lean out laterally (like a duck). The first steps load the entire foot at the same time, reducing pressure per unit area, while still securing the cartilageous, soft structure of the foot arch. If you give a child a pusher - it will start to overload the forefoot against the natural, physiological development of the hip joint.
And of course, you can say the baby only uses the pusher for a while and the impact is small. The truth is, a healthy baby doesn't need a walker, jumper or pusher to learn to stand and walk - so why to buy one? But if a child has deficits, for example in the form of abnormal muscle tone or foot defects - then such devices unfortunatelly escalate the problem.
Have a great day! Kate :)
@@katephysiotherapistwithbraid when babies walk with parents they also pull on them forward, so are you saying parents should be removed? How will they ever be able to learn how to walk? By magic?
@@sleepysundaykittens3212 Wow, what's the sarcasm for? Both standing and walking are part of a child's neurophysiological development, and a healthy child really does not need any help of any kind to achieve these abilities. Just like you don't teach a healthy baby how to roll or crawl, he or she will do it on their own, because it is encoded in the nervous system.
Oh my gosh, i bought 2 walkers for my girls 2 days ago
@@victoriamfon9823 I was looking for a pushing walker myself 🙈 I better save that money
lol
What about the generations of people brought up on these that have no issues with walking
Xtly
My brother used walkers a lot when he was a baby , now he walks all day with no problem and plays basketball
@@recordgalaxy … and I’m sure many more basketball players used walkers as babies as well.
Most of the claims are that they do not benefit early walking… I believe a child walks when they are ready as they get stronger so just giving any such devices will not accelerate the process.
Bingo. My sibling and I were walking at 10 months already thanks to walkers.
LMAO no harm in using them. My son has a jumpy swing and a walker. They make him happy Im not taking them from him. And he will only walk in his walker so until he can walk without it he's going to keep using it
Thank you 😮