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Editorials

Babywalkers

BMJ 2002; 325 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.325.7365.612 (Published 21 September 2002) Cite this as: BMJ 2002;325:612

Delay development, cause injuries, and we should consider banning them

  1. Brent Taylor (b.taylor@rfc.ucl.ac.uk), professor of community child health
  1. Royal Free and University College Medical School, London NW3 2PF

    Letters p 657

    Babywalkers (infant walkers, wheeled seats that allow infants to move around with their feet on the floor) are widely used, by 50% or more of infants.1 A recent short report in the BMJ showed that babywalkers delayed acquisition of crawling, standing alone, and walking alone.2 A brisk correspondence followed, with many respondents picking faults with the study, some supporting continued parental choice, and others welcoming this additional evidence that babywalkers are dangerous (see also p 657).3


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    Credit: JULIE FISHER/BUBBLES PICTURE LIBRARY

    Previous reports have suggested that development is affected adversely by babywalkers.2 w1-w3 Along with that in the BMJ, these were observational or questionnaire based studies …

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