Baby walkers: Are they safe?

Baby walkers — devices designed to give babies mobility while they're learning to walk — can cause serious injuries.

For example, babies who use baby walkers may:

• Trip and fall over
• Roll down stairs
• Trap a finger
• Be burned, poisoned or otherwise hurt after reaching for a dangerous object or falling into a pool or bathtub

Even new baby walkers — which typically use brakes to prevent falls and are too large to fit through doorways — can still lead to serious injury. In addition, research shows that use of baby walkers can actually delay when a baby begins to sit, crawl or walk unassisted, as well as slow a baby's mental and motor development.

Don't allow your baby to use a baby walker and make sure that your baby's other caregivers don't use baby walkers, either. Instead, consider using a stationary activity center, play yard, playpen or high chair. These devices will allow your baby to play safely as he or she learns to sit, crawl and stand.