Content
Although seemingly harmless, classic baby walkers are discouraged and forbidden to sell in some states, because they can delay motor and intellectual development, since they can confuse babies by having the impulse just by touching the tip of the foot on the floor , and not with the foot fully supported, delaying and impairing body balance.
In addition, the baby walker allows the child to reach a higher speed, not giving the parents time to react, increasing the risk of accidents such as falls, which can be serious and can cause fractures and even head trauma.
The classic baby walker can be detrimental to your development because:
1. Make the baby walk later
The child must go through all the stages of motor development, such as crawling, crawling, until he can stand on his own and it is this initial movement that will develop the musculature to finally start the learning process for walking.
Skipping these phases, leaving the baby standing on the classic walker, in addition to delaying learning to walk, forces the spine before the appropriate time, which can lead to poor posture and problems in the future.
2. May damage the baby's joints
The classic walker does not allow the development of muscles by leaving the baby suspended, thus the joints can be weakened which increases the risk of injury to the joints of the lower limbs.
3. Wrong way of stepping
Because walking almost always on tiptoes or using the sides, the step tends to become inclined inward or outward, which can cause pain when the baby is already walking alone.
4. The baby can get hurt
The classic walker tends to reach a higher speed than the baby would have if he were walking, which increases the risk of getting hurt, since he can trip over carpets, chairs and the toys themselves.
5. Delays intellectual development
When the baby is in the classic walker, he is less able to explore the environment around him, delaying the ability to interact and be interested in new games, which impairs the child's learning, since curiosity is essential for this.
What is the best walker
The best baby walker is the one that is pushed forward, as if it were a super market stroller. This type of walker will give the confidence that the baby needs to start the first steps without the help of the parents, contrary to what one might think, this object does not teach babies to walk, it only helps them.
In this way, the ideal age for it to be used safely, can vary from 8 to 12 months, since it is at this age that the baby can stand on objects, and for him to reach this stage, it is essential that he has had stimulation in the stages of crawling and crawling.
How to help your baby start walking
Generally, the baby starts to take its first steps from 9 months and is expected to be around 15 months. However, each baby has its own rhythm, and therefore, this time can change, being important the parents' attention to be stimulating the child.
These actions can help in the baby's development process:
- Walk with the baby, holding him by the hands;
- Call for the baby a few feet from him to encourage him to walk;
- Call for the baby a few feet from him to come and pick up his favorite toy.
- Let the baby walk barefoot;
Throughout this moment, it is important that parents transmit calm and security to the baby, in addition to letting him explore the space so that he feels safe and confident when trying to walk.
Watch the video and see how to encourage the baby to walk: