NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new study adds to growing evidence that babywalkers can slow infants' motor skill development, delaying such milestones as crawling, standing alone and walking.

Infant walkers are wheeled seats that allow a baby's feet to touch the floor and move the walker around. The seat is surrounded by a frame, and many parents have seen the walkers as a safe way for infants to develop movement skills.

But recent research has indicated the devices are neither safe nor useful for encouraging walking and other skills. In fact, serious injuries--usually due to falls down stairs--have been reported, and studies have suggested walkers actually hinder babies' motor skill development. Last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics called for a ban on mobile infant walkers in the US.

In the new study, Irish researchers surveyed the parents of 190 infants on baby walker use and developmental milestones. They found that the 102 babies who used the devices were, as a group, slower to start crawling, standing alone and walking alone. For example, infants who used walkers stood on their own around the age of 13 months, on average--3 to 4 weeks later than those who didn't use walkers.

Mary Garrett and colleagues at University College Dublin report the findings in the June 22nd issue of the British Medical Journal.

The researchers further found that the more babies used their walkers, the greater the developmental delay. With each 24-hour increase in walker use, both walking alone and standing alone were delayed by more than 3 days, the report indicates.

Considering this milestone delay and the potential for infant injury, the researchers conclude, "the use of babywalkers should be discouraged."

SOURCE: British Medical Journal 2002;324:1494.

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