Volume 178 - Issue 2
Injury caused by baby walkers
Author: Donald D Beard
Med J Aust 2003; 178 (2): 91-92. || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2003.tb05075.x
Published online: 20 January 2003
Published online: 20 January 2003
To the Editor: The article by Thompson recommended that baby walkers be banned.1 He described various injuries caused by baby walkers:
An 8-month-old baby in a walker pulled the cord of a deep fryer and was splashed by oil, sustaining full-thickness burns to chest, abdomen and upper arms.
A 10-month-old baby in a walker sustained severe finger laceration when a fly-screen door slammed shut.
It is suggested that baby walkers allow babies to reach hazards, such as heaters, ashtrays, hot drinks, etc. However, all of these injuries result from lack of supervision. In any case, within a couple of months these babies will be standing and then walking and, without supervision, exactly the same injuries may occur.
Most injuries in infants are related to an unsafe environment or inadequate supervision.
One aspect that Thompson does not mention is walkers for disabled children. Does he recommend that these be banned? For infants and young children with severe disabilities, a walker is their only means of locomotion.
References
- Thompson PG. Injury caused by baby walkers: the predicted outcomes of mandatory regulations. Med J Aust 2002; 177: 147-148. <eMJA full text>
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