Young parents over time think about purchasing baby walkers for their child. In the department for the sale of toys in shopping malls, you can easily find many such devices that will help kids learn about the world around them and also take the first steps in their lives.
Is it harmful to use baby walkers?
As you grow and develop, your baby increasingly seeks to explore the surrounding space. While the baby has not learned to confidently crawl and walk independently, he can move around the room in the arms of his parents. However, parents cannot devote all their time to the baby. To occupy an inquisitive man, the gaming industry released a device called "Baby Walkers." Seating a child in such a device, parents can relax for a while, because the child will be enthusiastic, being completely safe thanks to the competently thought-out design of the walker.
Security measures
Wheelchairs can only be used for a short time, otherwise the baby may have problems in the area of orthopedics (flat feet and curvature of the spine). Some orthopedic doctors even prohibit the use of such devices or allow them to seat a child in special orthopedic shoes.
If adults nevertheless decide to use a walker, it should be remembered that the baby will move freely throughout the territory of the children's room, so you should take care of safety in advance: close the sockets with plugs, remove sharp, small and other objects that threaten the life and health of the little man.
Walker design
Walkers for children outwardly resemble a small highchair. At the bottom of the device is equipped with several wheels to facilitate movement. Premium models of baby walkers (Baby, Chicco) are equipped with colorful buttons, a music player, tweeters, a maze and rattles. All this should be of interest to the curious little ones.
The undoubted benefits of wheelchairs
Despite the fair criticism coming from pediatric doctors, wheelchairs have a number of useful properties:
- The device gives parents time to rest.
- A small child plays, learns, develops independently, while being in complete safety.
- Colorful panels captivate the child, allow you to develop motor skills and logical thinking.
- Since the child, seated on a gurney, is actively moving, he has an appetite, muscles are strengthened. After such physical exertion, the baby sleeps soundly throughout the night.
- A sturdy plastic bumper protects the wheelchair passenger from sharp corners and other indoor hazards.
How can walkers harm?
Specialists in the field of pediatric orthopedics agree that it is undesirable to use a baby walker for children until the baby learns to crawl, roll over, stand up and sit. Such a strict ban is explained by the fact that without additional devices the baby independently seeks to develop in the physical plane.
The negative side of using walkers:
- A child seated in a device for walking is in a relaxed state, which is why his body strengthens more slowly.
- The baby does not develop a sense of self-preservation, since it is constantly protected by the buffer zone of the device.
- Sometimes parents leave a child in a walker unattended for a long time. This should not be done, because the child may be injured.
- The load on the fragile spine of the child increases, which can lead to pathologies at a later age.
- A small child must learn to balance, so as not to fall during independent movement. If the child is constantly in the walker, he will not develop this skill.
- Between the legs, many children experience irritation as a result of prolonged walking using a restraint;
In addition, if a child has rickets or a violation of muscle tone, a baby walker is strictly contraindicated for him.
At what age should a walker be purchased?
When to put her child in a walker, each mother decides independently, but it will not be amiss to adhere to a number of recommendations of specialists:
- the baby should sit confidently and well without the help of adults;
- he must study the surrounding space, try to crawl or reach for objects of interest to him.
The exact age at which a child is allowed to sit on a walker is not specified anywhere, since each person develops differently. Usually, such a device is acquired when the child reaches the age of six months. The time of passing in it should begin with a few minutes, and then it is necessary to increase the child's walks day by day.
If parents nevertheless decide to use a device that helps kids to walk, an important rule should be observed - the child should touch the floor with her entire foot.
Varieties of Walkers
In children's stores you can find a huge number of walkers for small children. They are divided into varieties, each of which must be considered separately:
- Wheeled walkers are a product with small wheels. There is no saddle in this model. The kid, leaning on handrails specially designed for this, keeps his balance and takes his first uncertain steps. Chicco is a manufacturer of wheelchairs. It produces very popular models in Russia.
- Classic models have a round protective frame and a saddle where the child is seated. At the bottom there are wheels for moving around the children's playroom.
- A device called a “walker-transformer”, in addition to teaching your baby to walk, has a number of additional functions. For example, they can easily turn into a playpen, a convenient table for eating, and even a swing!
- The next type of walker is called "jumpers." It consists of a saddle where the child will sit, springs and belts that are mounted on a highly mounted horizontal bar or hook in the ceiling. On this design, the baby can jump and swing from side to side.
How to choose a walker?
Before buying a walker, you should pay attention primarily to the quality of materials, the reliability of the design of the device. The housing must be stable and durable. The wheels should spin easily. The seat or seat where the child will sit must be firmly attached to the soft inner bumper. In addition, the orthopedic panel must support the back of a passenger on a baby walker, so that the baby does not overstrain during the game.
Also, when choosing a suitable model, do not be too lazy to study the passport for the product, where the permissible maximum passenger weight should be indicated, the presence of brakes on devices with wheels, as well as the possibility of folding the case to save space in the apartment.
Popular models
When choosing children's products, you should focus on well-known manufacturers, because they guarantee the quality and safety of the product. European brands (Chicco, HappyBaby), as well as less well-known manufacturers from Russia ("Firefly"), which produce quality goods at a lower price, have deservedly been recognized as one of the most conscientious manufacturers of wheelchairs (reviews confirm this).