American pediatricians are calling for a ban on infant walkers due to the number of injuries infants suffer — about 2,000 per year — when using the walkers. According to a study in Pediatrics, more than 230,000 infants under the age of 15 months were treated for concussions, broken bones, skull fractures and other injuries from 1990 – 2014.
The pediatricians’ call for a ban is not new — they have been working on the initiative for decades. Pressure by pediatricians and other consumer groups has led to stronger safety requirements for the walkers, and a drop in the number of injuries. However, the American Academy of Pediatricians is still calling for the ban. At issue is the fact that the walkers allow infants — who are unable to walk — to gain access to areas they wouldn’t be able to reach without the assistance of the walker. Doctors report serious injuries include falling down stairs, falling into pools and drowning, and severe burns caused by infants pulling hot food from stovetops. According to a recent study, 74 percent of walker-related injuries were caused by falling down stairs. A vast majority of injuries (91 percent) were to the head and neck.
To learn more about pediatricians’ concerns about walkers, you can read a recent article by NPR or visit the American Academy of Pediatricians website for recent news on the topic.
