Very often, at an appointment with a pediatric orthopedist, parents ask us the question: “Can I use a walker?” And although in medicine in general, and in orthopedics in particular, there are many topics for debate between doctors, but as for the use of walkers, jumpers, etc. devices, orthopedists around the world have long come to a clear answer - walkers do much more harm than good.

Learning and starting to walk is a very important stage for any child, and parents understand this very well - after all, one of the most significant milestones in a child’s development, along with the first word, the first smile, the first “hoot”, are also the first steps, which they rejoice at. which they remember and try to capture in photos and videos. However, in order for a child to begin to walk steadily, a huge transformation must occur in his body from a lying person to an upright person. And this transformation involves a whole range of organs and systems - from the brain and vestibular apparatus, to bones and muscles. Moreover, this entire process should take place naturally, one might say “naturally” and gradually - it is then that all the organs and systems of the little man will be able to properly prepare, develop and “mature” for the transition to the walking stage.

So why can't you use a walker at this stage? After all, it would seem that by placing the baby in this device we help him get on his feet. In fact, everything is exactly the opposite.

Baby walkers cannot be used because:

• The natural development of the vestibular apparatus, which is responsible for the sense of balance and position in space, is significantly inhibited. The child is secured in the walker and will not fall, which is harmful. For the natural and harmonious development of the baby, the formation of a sense of balance is very important. To do this, the baby first learns to sit, then crawl, then stand with support, and finally takes its first independent steps. Using a walker deprives the body of the opportunity to learn on its own, as if skipping important stages.
• The child does not learn the instinct of self-preservation, because... the walker prevents him from falling and creates a false sense of security. At the same time, a baby falling is a natural process of learning to walk, a kind of “tuning” of the vestibular apparatus, and parents should not worry about watching their baby get up and fall “on his butt.” The musculoskeletal system of children is very “soft” and “flexible”; nature has already provided mechanisms for protecting against injury. Therefore, children in the process of learning to walk can and should fall - this is a natural process, very important for the formation of the vestibular apparatus and the development of a sense of self-preservation.
• The high risk of injury is a continuation of the previous point. The child is secured in the walker; the presence of wheels allows him to develop high speed and crash into obstacles without consequences. This is also very bad. Firstly, a child in a walker is completely devoid of a sense of fear - he simply does not have such experience, while babies who develop without devices know what walls, a door frame, and corners are. They have already “cut their teeth” and have experience, which in the future can significantly reduce the risk of injury in natural life. For example, we have repeatedly observed at receptions how children at full speed crashed into a table, into a door frame - in the vast majority of cases, these kids were in walkers for a long time. And, secondly, walkers still do not provide sufficient stability, and the presence of wheels and a child’s lack of fear of injury can lead to dire consequences. Accelerating to a speed of 8-9 km/h (if there is room to accelerate), children can receive more serious injuries than in a natural fall.
• Stimulation to go earlier than necessary. Let's explain. In order to avoid serious back problems at the age of 20-40, it is necessary to correctly and progressively go through all stages of development of the musculoskeletal system in infancy. In fact, the later the child starts walking, the better (of course, we are talking about the norm here, and we do not mean the presence of any pathologies), since the child later begins to receive vertical loads on the spine, which at this age is not yet has fully formed natural shock-absorbing curves. Thus, first the child learns to sit - the muscles and ligaments are strengthened, then to crawl - the muscles and ligaments are strengthened, then slowly walk with support - again the muscles and ligaments are strengthened. Those. By the time the musculoskeletal system is READY to accept vertical loads, the child begins to walk, which in the future minimizes the occurrence of any radiculitis and other back problems. The use of jumpers, walkers and other similar devices encourages the child to start walking earlier, “jumping” over the necessary period of natural strengthening of muscles and ligaments. And, as a result, parents are happy that their baby began to walk earlier than his peers, but the child has potential back problems in the future that have been inherent since childhood.

We have tried to explain in sufficient detail why baby walkers do much more harm than good. In principle, they have only one benefit - the child “frees the hands” of the mother, and they cope with this role very well. Of course, we cannot talk about a complete and unconditional ban on walkers. If the baby stays in them for no more than 15 minutes, no more than two or three times a day, for example, when the mother wants to drink tea or go to the toilet, then they will not cause harm. If you abuse it, there will be problems.

Until the child is able to move independently in space, mother’s hands remain one of the main ways to move him. Baby walkers come to the aid of many parents at a time when the time is approaching for the baby to stand on his own legs. But are these devices so necessary for a child’s development? Are they so useful and necessary? Let's consider these points in our article.

Types of walkers

1. The design of classic models involves the presence of a base - a frame and wheels attached to it . In the center of the structure there is a saddle designed to hold the baby. The entire structure is driven by the child’s legs. The baby pushes off from the floor, the wheels rotate in any direction as the little rider moves. Due to the fact that the wheels are capable of rotating around their axis, the walker can be given any direction of movement (forward, backward, to the sides). More expensive models can be equipped with tabletops or panels on which toys are placed that serve as educational elements - they squeak, flash in different colors, are removed and fixed, etc.
2. There are transforming models . On walkers of this type, the wheels are removable. This allows you to transform the moving structure into a stationary feeding table.
3. And finally, jumping models . In them, the saddle is attached to the frame with springs, this allows the child to jump, pushing off the floor with both legs. The springs “throw” the baby to a small height and smoothly return to its original position. Such models are intended only to teach the baby to stand on his own legs.

Walkers: pros and cons

Many pediatricians, orthopedists and pediatric surgeons categorically do not recommend using walkers. .

American neurophysiologist Glen Doman, in his book for children with disabilities, “The Path to Health,” writes: “You cannot place a baby in a walker—this is dangerous for the child’s development.”

Some doctors are not so categorical. But, nevertheless, it is advised not to be zealous in using them. So, for example, Dr. Komarovsky generally does not recommend planting babies under 9 months. But some children at this age already know how to walk on their own, so for such children these devices remain a completely irrelevant device.

In all other cases, it is recommended to use them in very measured doses and with great caution.

And there are reasons for this...

Arguments against

1. Walkers do not teach a child to walk. . Inside the structure, the baby is in a “sitting” position. Movement in this device in most cases is carried out by pushing off the floor with the legs, as a result of which the structure begins to move and rolls in a given direction. But physiologically, the process of walking is significantly different from the process of pushing off - different muscles are involved. With regular and prolonged use, the natural processes of physiological development of the child’s musculoskeletal system slow down.

2. Speaking about the development of the musculoskeletal system, it should be noted that the result of constant and prolonged use of walkers can be curvature of the spine, disorders in the development of the lower extremities.

3. Unfortunately, walkers can often pose a danger on their own. . This is especially true for inexpensive, “budget” models - many of them turn over when colliding with obstacles, or tip over when they hit thresholds. And walkers with wide frames can get stuck in narrow passages, which are quite sufficient in average apartments. In addition, not all models are equipped with anti-slip wheels or braking systems. Such models are dangerous because they are capable of developing quite high speeds on slippery surfaces such as parquet, ceramic tiles or laminate. And this is fraught with additional collisions with various obstacles and possible injuries, because at that age children do not yet know how.

4. Constantly moving around the house in this device, the baby does not learn to maintain balance. , does not receive the skills to fall correctly, and is deprived of the opportunity to receive lessons in caution.

5. Among other things, the use of walkers also has a number of medical contraindications. What falls into this category?

• The presence of disturbances in the development of the baby’s musculoskeletal system.
• Low or, on the contrary, high muscle tone.
• Various skin lesions that appear in a child in places of contact with the saddle.
• If the baby has not yet learned to sit independently for a long time.
• The child has rickets.
• Other contraindications noted by the treating pediatrician.

Olga Demina, Irisha’s mother: “We inherited the walkers from our cousins. At first we liked everything. My daughter began to move around the apartment without difficulty, and my hands really rested. But then a traumatic incident occurred, and we abandoned this device forever. Irishka accelerated in her walker on the laminate floor and crashed into the chest of drawers. When bottles, tubes and other things fell on top of her, she was very scared, and it took a long time to calm the child down. After that, we decided to put the walkers on the balcony and never take them out again.”

Arguments for

1. Child mobility is one of the main arguments in support of walkers . Moving around the room in this device, the baby takes a more active part in the life of the family, receives more positive emotions, and learns more dynamically about the world around him.
2. Another weighty argument in defense of these products is that the mother, having transferred the child to the mobile device, gets more free time to do household chores, without losing sight of the child and constantly watching him.
3. Walkers provide additional safety for the child . The frame, in addition to its main function, also acts as a kind of bumper, preventing the child from hitting corners and protrusions, preventing him from reaching dangerous objects, and preventing him from entering narrow places where, without a walker, the baby could get stuck.
4. If the child really wants to walk independently , but he can’t keep his balance and he’s very worried about this, so a walker will come to the rescue.

In the book “Your Baby,” American pediatrician William and his wife Martha Serz write the following: “Walkers, like many similar devices, if used in moderation and only under parental supervision, can be useful for a baby who has not yet learned to walk, but sometimes even standing, but wants to move around the room. This is a good solution for a capricious baby whose mood is something like this: “I don’t want to be held in my arms, but I want to stand next to my mother.” A few minutes in a walker, or a few steps that the baby walked in them, will not bring trouble, but spending a lot of time in this first “machine” is not only unsafe for children, but also harmful.”

This is probably where all the positive aspects of actively using walkers end.

1. One of the most important recommendations is that The baby's stay in the walker should not exceed one hour a day in total . That is, it is allowed to plant several times a day for 10-15 minutes.
2. It is not allowed to use a walker until the child learns to sit down independently and sit for a long period of time.. An option that is close to the ideal is when the baby begins to stand on his own legs, holding onto a support.
3. When the baby is in this device, his legs should touch the floor with his entire foot , and not just with your fingers.
4. When placing your little one in a walker, you must not let him out of sight even for a few minutes. . The baby must be in the adult's field of vision at all times while in the walker.

Summarizing all of the above, we can only say unequivocally that the child does not need a walker. After all, a healthy baby will learn to walk without them. Moreover, without a walker he will do this much faster than with them.

But if it just so happens that the parents’ desire to give their child absolutely everything, including walkers, is stronger than common sense, then if certain recommendations are followed, their use will not cause any harm to the baby, and will even give certain positive emotions. Which, of course, cannot but please loving parents.

Doctor Komarovsky about the benefits and harms of walkers on video

Baby walkers are the subject of many questions and debates. Some argue that walkers are undoubtedly necessary, others consider them to be useless and even harmful. We will look into this issue together.

Walkers are a special device for children who cannot walk yet. With the help of a walker, the child can move independently. The device is a frame with a seat for the baby, mounted on wheels.

Many people believe that walkers are a relatively new invention that greatly simplifies the lives of modern parents. It is worth saying that walkers were invented a long time ago, but at some period of time parents had to abandon this invention.

Back in Soviet times in the 70s, walkers were discontinued. The reason for this was the opinion of doctors that walkers interfere with the normal development of a child’s foot and reduce muscle tone. In Canada, they not only discontinued the production of walkers, but even banned imports, considering this device dangerous to the health of children.

Now walkers are again on sale, and only parents can decide whether their child needs them or not. It is difficult to say definitively whether walkers are harmful. Opinions were divided into two camps.

Baby walkers

Pros of walkers:

1. Walkers transfer the child from a horizontal position to a vertical one. New opportunities for learning about the world open up for the baby.
2. They are not only a device for movement, but also a toy. On the frame of the walker there are rattles, beepers, and music. This allows the child to develop finger motor skills.
3. They teach the child to move independently and teach him to walk.
4. They release my mother for a while. This is important, since it is difficult for a woman to carry a child in her arms all day and devote all her time to him. Walkers can keep the baby occupied for a while, while the mother gets on with her business.

Some people refute the benefits of walkers, their facts seem very convincing.

Harm from walkers:

1. They squeeze the baby's perineum.
   2. The child cannot learn to coordinate his actions, since the walker protects him from freedom of movement.
   3. The child has only his hands free; he cannot sit, lie down, or crawl. This has a bad effect on his psyche.
   4. The process of independent walking slows down. The baby gets used to being supported by a frame, and therefore it is difficult for him to learn to walk independently.
   5. One of the main reasons is improper formation of the arch of the foot.

Important: If a child has neurological problems or problems with the formation of the foot, consultation with supervising doctors is necessary. There are children for whom it is undesirable and even contraindicated to walk in walkers.

Walkers: harm or benefit

If you decide to purchase a walker for your baby, take care of the following:

• Walkers must be of good quality and safe for the baby.
• You cannot leave the child for a long time, 30-40 minutes a day in several approaches.
• You should not put a child in a walker if there is diaper rash or irritation on the skin in the areas in contact with the seat.

How to choose a walker for a child on Aliexpress | Aliexpress?

Push walkers

This model is compact. The walkers can be folded and take up very little space.

Walkers folded

The next walker model will protect mom's back from pain. Constantly walking hand-in-hand with a child puts strain on an adult's back. It is much more convenient to hold the child in a walker while maintaining a straight back position. Convenient to take similar ones walkers for a walk, the child will explore the world, and the mother will help him.

Jumping Walkers

For those who want a no-frills walker, there is classic model without rattles on the frame.

Simple walker model

How to find and order good baby walkers in the Aliexpress online store | Aliexpress?

You can type the word “walker” in the search bar. Another way: go to the “Everything for Children” tab, then “Children’s Products”.

How to find and order walkers on Aliexpress: step 1
How to find and order walkers on Aliexpress: step 2

Here you can sort products according to the criteria you need. Search using filters to make your selection easier.

How to find and order walkers on Aliexpress: step 3

Once you have decided on the model, start purchasing. Select the color of the product, click "Buy Now".

How to find and order walkers on Aliexpress: step 4

The next step is to clarify the address.

How to find and order walkers on Aliexpress: step 5

Check the details of your order - color, quantity, cost. If everything is correct, click “Place an order”.

How to find and order walkers on Aliexpress: step 6

Choose any convenient payment method and pay for your order.

How to find and order walkers on Aliexpress: step 7

Video: How to choose a walker?

At what age can walkers be used?

• Every month the baby masters more and more skills and strives to study the objects around him. The child’s desire to explore the world gives an impetus to parents to quickly put him in a walker, thereby opening up new opportunities.
• There are cases when babies are placed in walkers at 4-5 months of age. This is, of course, wrong. Parents should not forget that development must be timely, only then will it be beneficial.

Important: The optimal age for using a walker is 7-8 months, when the child learns to sit and stand on his own. Premature use of walkers can lead to improper development of the musculoskeletal system.

What time can boys be put in walkers?

Parents of boys are worried whether walkers will affect the development of the reproductive system. Pediatricians recommend avoiding boys staying in walkers for long periods of time, but this rule also applies to girls.

Boys can be placed in walkers from 7-8 months; the child should be there for no more than 40 minutes a day.

What time can you put boys in walkers?

At what age can girls be put in walkers?

According to statistics, girls are more susceptible to hip dysplasia than boys. Before placing your baby in a walker, you should consult with your pediatrician and surgeon.

As for age, girls, like boys, are not recommended to be placed in walkers before 7-8 months.

What time can girls be put in walkers?

How to teach a child to walk in a walker?

Most children calmly accept the introduction to walkers. But some are still afraid of these new sensations. The task of parents is to help the child get used to the new device and teach how to use it.

• First, you can bring the child in your arms to the walker, show the toys, let the baby touch them with his hands and carefully examine everything.
• After this, you can sit the child down, but do not leave him alone.
• Hold the walker with your hand and pull it slightly. The baby will understand that he needs to move his legs.
• You can teach your child to walk in a walker by setting a goal for him. For example, take a few steps away and show him his favorite toy. The child will begin to automatically take steps towards his goal.
• That's right, when the child's foot rests completely on the floor, the baby should not only touch the surface with his fingers. To do this, you should adjust the walker according to the child’s height.
• Wear shoes on your feet, even if you are indoors. The right shoes will shape the correct position of the child's feet.

Important: The first steps in a walker are usually spontaneous; a little time will pass and the child will understand that he is securely held in the seat. Then his steps will become more confident.

Walkers

Komarovsky walkers: pros and cons

The popular children's doctor Evgeniy Olegovich Komarovsky expresses his opinion unequivocally - walkers at an early age are harmful.

To summarize, walkers free parents, but still, a child’s long stay in them is extremely undesirable. If you decide to use a walker, adjust it according to the child’s height, consult an orthopedist if necessary, and monitor the time the baby spends in the walker.

Video: Doctor Komarovsky's opinion on walkers

Hello mommy!

Since you are reading this article now, it means that there is a debate on the topic of walkers in your family. Most likely, all family members have already expressed their opinion, but no decision has been made. And you decided to look for an answer on the Internet, get an outside opinion.

First, let's figure out what a walker is.
– This is a seat and structure on wheels. Placed in a walker, the child quickly learns to push off the floor with his feet and soon begins to rush around the apartment. Walkers allow the baby to gain freedom and ease of movement in space.

They are designed in such a way that the main emphasis is on the child’s pelvis and spine; he only pushes off with his feet. Therefore, put your baby in a walker only when he has learned to stand up in the crib or when he sits on his own without support. At the same time, he must be able to sit with a straight spine, with good emphasis on the pelvic bone, and not bend when sitting and not fall over. It is these moments, and not the baby’s age, that determine his readiness to use a walker. And don’t forget that the baby should rest on his foot. Therefore, it is very important to correctly adjust the height of the walker.

There is an opinion that a child wearing a walker will quickly learn to walk independently. This is actually a controversial point because the muscles that are used when using a walker are not the same ones that are used when walking. Moreover, walkers are often dangerous. Do not leave your baby unattended in a walker.

Give yourself enough time to choose. walker models. Take it very seriously. Make sure that most of the child’s body is “immersed” in the walker so that his legs are well supported by his full foot. Stable walkers reduce the likelihood of a child falling out.

You think that since the walker has a “fence” and a backrest, you can put any child in there - it won’t fall out, and that’s good. However, you should remember that the baby cannot complain about the fatigue of the spine, and he chooses a position that is comfortable for him - bends over, twists and thereby creates extra stress on the spine. Excessive load can lead to scoliosis, vertebral displacements, osteochondrosis and other abnormalities.

At first, strictly monitor the time your baby spends in the walker. It is important that the child is in the walker for 15-30 minutes. Remember that the baby’s back gets tired quickly, since the main load falls on the spine. The baby himself will begin to sound the alarm, leaning on his side. Gradually increase the time your baby spends in the walker.

Remember that in a walker a lot will be accessible to your little one, so remove piercing, cutting, small, breakable objects from his path and cover electrical sockets with special attachments.

In what situation should you buy a walker?

When your baby has already begun to stand firmly on his legs and is about to walk. During this period, the amount of daytime sleep is gradually reduced. The baby is already bored of sitting in the playpen for half a day. He shows a desire to explore the world around him, moving around the apartment. And it’s hard for you to keep an eye on him and entertain him all this time. In such a situation, it is worth buying a walker.

Doctors' opinions on walkers

I present for your consideration the general opinion of doctors and private reviews.

When choosing a walker and placing your baby in it, make sure that the legs rest on the floor not with the toes, but with the entire foot, so that he can easily reach the floor. Pay attention to the seat: it should not put pressure on the baby.
The main weight of the body falls on the part of the seat that is located between the legs. Therefore, how well it is made matters a lot. After all, the idea of ​​a walker is not for the child to sit in it, so the seat should only serve as a support for the baby when standing. The seat should be dense and firm.

Also remember that walkers should not be used for long periods of time. The baby can be in the walker for 15-30 minutes at a time, but no more than 1 hour a day. The mother should periodically check to see if the baby is tired, has he fallen asleep, has he fallen asleep?

You cannot use a walker if the child has rickets, hypertonicity/hypotonicity of muscles, or diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Svetlana Andreeva, orthopedic surgeon: “I believe that walkers do not have the slightest influence on when a child takes his first independent step. According to my observations, walkers do not speed up this process, but make the beginning of walking more traumatic. Children who sit in walkers for a long time get used to the fact that there is support around them and when walking they often begin to lean forward, as if pushing it.

Long-term use of the so-called safety “leash” often leads to the same effect - the child rushes forward and knows perfectly well that he will not fall. Therefore, when a mother wants to teach her child to walk, she must take him by the hand and walk with him.

If a child spends half an hour or an hour in a walker and his legs rest with his full feet, I don’t see anything wrong. Mom often needs to free her hands in order to rest, and she can put the baby in a walker. Perhaps I would introduce a restriction for children with signs of rickets and increased/decreased tone. At the very least, these children should be regularly seen by a doctor and treated. Therefore, they need to consult a doctor.”

Yakov Yakovlev, pediatrician: “I will immediately speak about both walkers and jumpers. I think that they are necessary only if the child is too active (not to be confused with restless!), and the mother does not have time to deal with him. For example, a whole gang of children, led by a folder, are walking around the house.

On the other hand, I am a supporter of active exercises, that is, those that the child performs as much as possible on his own, without help. Why? It’s very simple: the more a child under one year old moves his muscles, the more independent movements he has and the more he tries to learn through his own experience, the better he develops.

Naturally, one cannot be so categorical. You can raise an absolutely healthy child with a walker/jumper, or without. My wife and I simply let our children play on the floor, and they learned everything on their own.”

Alexander Koval, children's doctor: “In this case, there is no exact date or exact age, because everything depends solely on the child himself, on the strength of his spine. As soon as the child’s spine gets stronger, and this condition is necessary, since when walking in a walker the main load falls on the child’s spine and pelvis, he can immediately be moved into a walker. But every parent can understand whether a child’s spine is ready for a walker, because the strength of the spine can be judged by whether the child can sit firmly with a straight spine, or sit up from a lying position. If your child is already doing all this, then a walker will be just right for him.”

Scientists have concluded that children who do not use walkers begin to crawl on average at 31 weeks of age (for those who used them, this figure was 35 weeks). Children learned to stand without assistance at the ages of 54 and 57 weeks, respectively, and to walk at the ages of 58 and 61 weeks.

However, keep in mind that the study did not take into account the progress children made intellectually, emotionally and socially: walkers move the child from a horizontal position to a vertical one and open up a new world for him.

Manufacturers of walkers are improving their products, making them as safe as possible. In addition, walkers bring great joy to children, which means much more than the age at which the child learns to crawl or walk.

Here's what moms think about baby walkers

Svetlana:
“My son is 9 months old. He loves to dissect in his walker. He can ride for hours, and his legs become stronger.
I AM FOR! Walkers."

Catherine:
“My two children walked in walkers. Firstly, it is entertaining for children. Secondly, their legs are strengthened and they are preparing to walk. When they could already try to walk on their own, they turned over with walkers. This is of course bad, but then it is immediately clear that the child no longer needs them. Children learn to place their feet correctly when walking. True, walkers only last a short time, but then they become dangerous. Children begin to run very fast.”

Olga:
“Mine has been using a walker since he was 6.5 months old, when I put him in for the first time, he was so happy that now he can reach where he needs to and move around after his mother))), and it became more comfortable for me: I For example, I cook in the kitchen and he is with me, and not in a crib in a room unattended. So I personally don’t see anything wrong with them...”

Elena:
“Many mothers use various devices that, to some extent, “untie” their hands. We looked at the child of our acquaintances - he runs around the apartment on his own, plays on his own and cannot break anything. Simply because he can't reach it. Why don't we try it too? We probably bought a walker early - Artem was only 5 months old. He ran for up to 7.5 months. As soon as he wakes up, he immediately requires a walker.

He had enough freedom of movement, and he had no intention of crawling. So we decided to give up our own peace of mind, put the walker away and started putting him on the floor. How he cried! I thought I couldn’t stand it and would give up. But a few days later he crawled to get one of his toys. This made us very happy.

We used walkers later. He began to take his first steps, and I had to constantly be near him. One day guests were supposed to come to us, and I remembered about the walkers. Then he abandoned them himself, although he played with the music panel for a long time.”

Maria:
“Everything is good in moderation. My daughter ran in a walker for half an hour a day, the rest of the time she crawled with the same pleasure. The main thing is to make sure that she doesn’t get stuck anywhere and doesn’t steal anything. And she went on her own at 11 months.

In the end, you can do without a walker, but they make life easier, especially if mom is home alone and takes care of the house.

If your child is in a walker for 1-2 hours a day when you are especially busy, this is not scary, but even convenient! And the fact that a child will walk later because of a walker is a myth and a chimera. Your child will walk at the age determined by his nature, the only thing, as happened with our daughter, will be more difficult for him to adapt to walking without support.”

Oksana:
“My children didn’t have walkers. I believe that in our small apartment there was no room for them to wear them. Moreover, they did not rely on anyone's support. I believe that even without a walker you can sit down, stand up, lie down, crawl, rest, fall, get something off the floor, drop it, and do a lot of other interesting things.

If you secure the apartment and let the baby out, he will find many interesting activities that do not require the constant attention of his mother.”

Let's summarize:

If you use walkers not constantly, but only occasionally, if necessary, you can get significant benefits from them:

• walkers free up mom's hands for household chores;
• walkers allow the child to see new objects that were previously inaccessible to his gaze;
• walkers allow the child to stand, turn, look around, i.e. carry out movements that he could not do before, this helps strengthen the muscles.

The main thing to remember:“Everything is good in moderation.” Walkers will be useful to the baby only if they are used correctly by the parents. Follow the recommendations, do not abuse the device to relieve yourself.

Health to your baby and exciting exploration of the world!

With age, the baby becomes more active and curious. The process of learning about the world as a baby requires a lot of time and effort from parents. Often this process of getting to know the outside world occurs directly only in mother’s arms. To make their life easier, parents resort to the help of various modern assistants - walkers, jumpers.

Yes, they were invented precisely for parents. Not for training your baby's walking skills. It is difficult for many to admit (even to themselves) that these devices were purchased specifically for their mother.

As a mother of two children, I understand how important it is to at least sometimes free up my mother’s hands or relieve my mother’s back, and find an opportunity to do some household chores for her. But a reasonable approach is important here.

As a pediatrician, in practice I am constantly faced with the consequences of improper (too early or prolonged) use of walkers in children. Today we will deal with the issue of the benefits and harms of walkers. Let's talk about whether there is an alternative to these assistants.

Benefit

There is some benefit, what can I say. This:

Harm

1. Walkers do not help a child learn to walk faster at all. When walking upright, different muscle groups work than when moving in a walker. The principle of movement in a walker is pushing away from the support, and not stepping over with a straight back position, as with upright walking.

2. Children who were placed in walkers early enough often miss a developmental stage such as crawling. Many mothers even proudly voice this fact to friends and doctors. But not everything is so beautiful and harmless when the child does not crawl.

Nature has laid down the gradual development of the baby. And his musculoskeletal system as well. The child turns over - sits down - crawls, then walks. All of these stages help prepare and strengthen specific muscle groups so that each subsequent stage of motor development occurs correctly.

From this sequential chain of motor skills, not a single link should be removed. Otherwise, this threatens to overload untrained muscles, which in turn are designed to hold bones and joints in the correct position. Consequently, such a development of events threatens joint deformation and improperly distributed load on the child’s fragile bones. And this is already a vicious circle of pathological changes.

3. When moving in a walker, the child pushes off the support more often with the toe part of the foot. This, in turn, leads to improper development of the skill of walking - on toes. Parents then very often have to correct these consequences for a long time with the help of orthopedists and massage therapists. It’s hardly worth risking the child’s health for the sake of the mother’s short free time.

Parents often say that it is enough to lower the seat of the walker to a lower height from the floor so that the child puts his entire foot on the ground. No, not like that. If you lower the seat lower, the child will move in a half-squat or lean forward.

In this case, the baby rests his chest against the front wall of the walker to move. The foot may stand correctly, but when the body bends forward, the load of the child’s body weight is distributed incorrectly on the foot. Hence the risk of developing flat feet, club feet, walking on toes, and so on.

4. When moving in a walker, the back muscles, which should keep the spinal column in a vertical position, practically do not work. And if the baby missed the crawling stage... Then where will a healthy spine come from in this case in the future??!

After all, crawling trains all the muscles for the baby’s subsequent confident walking. In addition, crawling trains the child's coordination and spatial orientation. In addition, various tactile sensations during crawling contribute to the development of the baby’s cerebral hemispheres.

In the first year, the baby develops very quickly. This kind of “intensive” will never happen again throughout your life. The baby's weight triples and her height doubles. And all this in just one year. It’s already hard for the baby’s body. Therefore, trying to teach a child to walk faster, that is, to accelerate his development, is unnecessary and even dangerous.

5. Injuries in walkers are a separate issue. Since opinions on this matter differ, this question is ambiguous. On the one hand, the child is protected by a structure (bumper zone), which is much wider than the baby’s arm span. Therefore, the baby cannot press his hands between the walker and, for example, the wall.

Walker designs become more sophisticated and stable over time. This is achieved largely thanks to the many (8 or more) maneuverable wheels. Therefore, the baby has practically no chance to roll over. Although there are many videos on the Internet of children climbing out of walkers and ultimately turning them over.

But no one will argue that on a smooth surface, babies in walkers accelerate to significant speeds. And when the baby crashes into various interior items at full speed, the things standing on top of them very often tip over directly onto the child.

Yes, there can be no less injuries when a child walks independently than when moving in a walker. But here it is important to take into account that the child independently realistically estimates the distance to the object. He understands where he hurt himself and will be more careful next time.

And the bumper zone does not allow the child to adequately appreciate the world around him. So then, when walking independently, the child will walk just as carelessly after using a walker. He will get into more trouble for himself, not understanding where to slow down.

Nowadays they attach a lot of different toys to the front panel. Sometimes a child can hit them, tripping in the walker on the threshold or carpet. You need to think about this and remember when choosing such products for your baby.

Medical contraindications to the use of walkers in children

These are situations when it is absolutely forbidden to put your baby in a walker.

• The baby does not know how to sit up on his own and does not sit for a long time.
• The baby has some disturbances in the development of the musculoskeletal system.
• The baby has decreased or increased tone of the limbs.
• Dermatitis localized in the baby's panty area, or other skin diseases in which skin damage is observed at the site of contact with the seat in the walker.
• Rickets.
• Other contraindications that will be noted by the pediatrician observing the baby.

If you are one of those parents who decided to use a walker for yourself, then the next part of the article is for you. Here I will describe rules that will help minimize their harmful effects on the baby.

1. You cannot use a walker until the child sits independently for a long time, or better yet, only after the little one learns to stand up in the crib.
2. At the very beginning, you need to adjust the seat height of the walker according to the baby’s height. In this case, the child must lean on and, while walking, touch the floor with the entire foot, and not just the toe part.
3. The child must walk in a walker in shoes that have an orthopedic insole and a high back that fixes the child’s leg in the correct position. This will reduce the risk of incorrect foot placement and correctly distribute the load on the foot when walking.
4. The time a child can spend in a walker depends on the age of the baby, the degree of physical activity and endurance of the baby. You should start with 7-10 minutes a day. You need to increase the time gradually. But in total, the time a child spends in a walker should not exceed one hour for the entire day.
5. The baby should always be supervised, that is, in the field of view of an adult.

Is there an alternative?

My personal opinion is that it will be better for the baby if the parents buy a comfortable playpen for him. Its walls can be decorated with safe toys. As the baby's interest in them fades, they can be changed. It is much more comfortable and safe for a child to move around in a playpen. And mom will be calmer for him.

Interesting fact: in Canada, after the proven negative impact of walkers on the baby’s health, even the production and import of these products is prohibited. And parents who still use walkers will face administrative punishment.

Unfortunately or fortunately, in our country this issue is not controlled at the legislative level. It is up to each parent to take into account the experience of knowledgeable parents and the arguments of specialists, or to gain their own personal experience regarding the benefits and harms of walkers for a child. But after reading the article, I hope you will make your choice consciously.

Health to you and your children! Pediatrician and twice-mother Elena Borisova-Tsarenok discussed this issue with you.