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Kim Johnson ReportingPostitive news about babies and baby walkers today. A new study in this month's issue of Pediatrics says Americans have made a huge dent in the number of injuries.
That dent amounts to a 76 percent decrease between the years 1990 and 2001. In numbers, baby walker related injuries plummeted from an average of 23,000 per year to a little more than 5,000. Pediatricians at Primary Children's Medical center, say these days they rarely see such injuries.
Dr. Edward Junkins, Pediatrician: "We've seen a significant drop-off. Probably only one quarter of the injuries we saw in the early 90's until now."
Dr. Junkins says widespread publicity in the 90's about the dangers of walkers brought new options for parents. Nowadays, stationary centers and exersaucers are much more common in day care centers and homes than the old baby walkers.
Dr. Edward Junkins, Pediatrician: "There have been fewer and fewer of these devices made by these manufacturers. And that was, I think, more from market pressures than anything else."
But stores still sell walkers with wheels. Most models have been widened so they cannot go down a flight of stairs. But experts say any device with wheels creates a risk for babies.
Dr. Laura Jana, Pediatrician: "The unfortunate fact is that there are still a lot of infants getting injured by walkers. And the bottom line is that the recommendation is that you should just not use them."
Canada has a ban on baby walkers. This country does not, but The Academy of Pediatrics recommends if you happen upon a baby walker at a garage sale, or second hand store, pass it by.
