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Head injuries related to the use of baby walkers
Insights
Baby walkers are linked to significant head injuries in infants under 12 months, particularly falls involving stairs. Parents should be warned about the dangers of baby walkers due to the lack of proven benefits.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Child Safety
- Injury Prevention
Background:
- Baby walkers are common mobility aids for infants.
- Previous studies have suggested potential risks associated with baby walker use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the proportion of head injuries in young children attributed to baby walkers.
- To identify factors associated with baby walker-related falls and injuries.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of 52 children under 24 months with head injuries presenting to an emergency department.
- Distribution of questionnaires to 152 families with children aged 3-18 months attending a private pediatric practice regarding baby walker use and falls.
Main Results:
- Baby walkers were implicated in 42% of head injuries in infants under 12 months.
- All walker-related injuries, including skull fractures, were associated with falls on stairs.
- 36% of families reported falls from walkers, with 8.8% requiring medical attention.
- Increased time in walkers and prior falls by siblings were associated with walker-related falls.
Conclusions:
- Baby walker use is a significant cause of head injuries in infants, especially involving stairs.
- There is no proven benefit to using baby walkers.
- Parents should be educated about the risks and discouraged from using baby walkers.
Abstract:
To determine what proportion of head injuries in children under 24 months of age who presented to an emergency department were related to the use of baby walkers, we reviewed the charts of 52 such children. Walkers were involved in 42% of the head injuries in the children under 12 months of age and in none of those in the children aged 12 to 24 months. All walker-related injuries, including skull fractures in three children, involved stairs (p less than 0.001). Questionnaires were also sent to all families with children aged 3 to 18 months attending a private pediatric practice to determine the prevalence of falls involving baby walkers among these children and the factors associated with such falls. Of the 152 responding families 82% reported using or having used a walker. Thirty-six percent of the families reported that their child had a fall while in a walker, with 8.8% of the falls resulting in contact with a doctor. Walker-related falls were directly associated with time spent in the walker (p less than 0.001) and with a previous fall from the walker by an older sibling (p less than 0.03). Since there is no demonstrated benefit of walkers, their use should not be encouraged, and parents should be advised of their potential danger.