Baby Walkers: To Buy or Not to Buy?

You wouldn't let your 5-month-old drive a car? Of course not. Just like you wouldn't use a baby product the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) wants banned, right? Infant walkers are a popular baby item, yet the AAP equates putting your toddler in a walker to setting him behind the wheel of your car. Not a pretty picture. When you put toddlers in control, the results can be disastrous and even deadly.

Several years ago, while browsing the aisles at my local baby superstore after the birth of my second daughter, I found a whole aisle devoted to baby walkers. And I bought one. At the time, I had heard about some safety concerns with walkers and children sustaining injuries from spills down stairs. But since my apartment didn't have any stairs, I assumed my daughter would be safe. Today, you'll still find plenty of walkers for sale at baby retailers.

Fortunately, my baby never had any injuries from her walker use, but with so many alternatives to walkers now on the market you may want to think twice before you buy. Consider these common questions about walkers—and the startling answers.