Baby walkers illegal in Canada!

Canada
December 12, 2006 2:48am CST
I wanted to buy my 11 month old daughter a walker because she's not very mobile yet and it really frustrates her. My mom told me about something that I had when I was a baby called a walker. I went out to look for one and I found out that they're now illegal in Canada because alot of parents were leaving their children unattended in them and they were falling down the stairs. I don't think it's fair that just because a few parents couldn't watch their kids that I can't own one of these. By the same logic everything is dangerous, jolly jumpers, exersaucers, alot of toys, even crawling around. Are they going to make all of these things illegal too? Ha. Other parents, and parents that have owned one of these, what are your thoughts on this?
1 person likes this
71 responses
@medooley (1873)
• United States
12 Dec 06
Uh, at first when I first read this I though no way this is true... but I stand corrected. After a little research I found this is true... http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/child-enfant/equip/walk-marche/index_e.html I guess if there is a problem then it should certianly be illegal. Does anyone know what the fine is for having one?
1 person likes this
@MakDomMom (1474)
• United States
12 Dec 06
I actually agree that walkers should be illegal. So many innocent children have been hurt due to their parents not paying attention. There are much better ways to encourage children to become mobile. Exersaucers and jump-ups are great, but they do not encourage the balance that is needed for walking and standing on their own. Place furniture (sofa, chairs, pills, coffee tables, etc...) closer together so your daughter can move around while holding onto something. She will get it. Frustration is actually a good thing, it shows that she wants to be motivating and it will give her the motivation to do so.
@Tanya8 (1733)
• Canada
12 Dec 06
I agree. I saw some nasty walker accidents happen right in front of parents' eyes when I was a kid. The wheels move fast, and it's quite possible for a child to get out of the harness and climb up on them, much faster than anyone would ever expect. It's human nature to look away or attend to a small task (even if it's for 2 seconds). Although some parents may hover and keep their eyes on their child every single second without getting distracted, I don't think it's true for the majority. You don't have to be a negligent parent for a walker accident to happen. Also, they're really only needed for a few weeks. An 11 month will be walking within a month or so anyway.
• United States
12 Dec 06
You mention using furniture, but if the point is that it's dangerous for babies to be let alone in walkers, by that same standard, wouldn't it be dangerous to let babies walk around furniture where they could fall and split their head open? I don't think the problem is with the device, it's with parents who don't keep a sharp eye on their children. Like in Albuquerque NM where I used to live, 3 and 4 year olds were playing in the streets with no one to watch them, I always tried to keep an eye out if I was outside but they weren't my kids.
@soldenski (2503)
• United States
13 Dec 06
I agree with working4theweekend. I think parent's should watch their children, not use something to "babysit" them. Both my kids used walker's, but, I would encourage them to follow me while I did house work. I would not leave them unattended.
@sanell (2112)
• United States
13 Dec 06
Yeah that does not surprise me really, they do not sell it here in states very easily either, I think you can order it online but that is about it. I have not seen them in stores at all. I think it is or can be too risky but I did see an really cool toy, it is like the middle part is an activity center, and there is a walker attached to it, that the kid can WALK AROUND the activity center, not an exersaucer where they just spin around, I mean where the kid actually walks around the table in this rolling seat....It is really cool and I have no idea where to get one....she said her mom got it for her but she does not know where she had gotten it. Maybe a second hand store or something.
• United States
13 Dec 06
I saw one at Babies R Us this summer (in Ohio). We bought one at a BRU store in 2001 but I sold it at a yard sale in 2004.
@GardenGerty (156813)
• United States
13 Dec 06
Another point about walkers that is not often noted is that the movement that propels them is not the same movement that is involved in walking and is actually counter productive to learning to walk. That being said, I used them on a limited basis, but found them to be unstable and I had to watch extra carefully about them not turning over. They have been redesigned many times, as my kids are grownups now. I like the pushable toys that have tall handles to help with walking. I think Fisher Price has one that is a fire truck.
• United States
13 Dec 06
I have heard that many times too but my oldest daughter had no interest in walking until we got her a walker. All of a sudden she realized she could get around a lot quicker on two feet and would try walking without the walker. My son used it too but was walking by 10 1/2 months. My younger daughter also used it and was walking a few days after she turned 1. I can see it hurting a child learning to walk if they spend the entire day in it. Most people would do that. My kids would stay in it like 20 minutes. Maybe 30 minutes if they were really having fun but that was rare. I don't see how 20 minutes a couple times a day (or less) can hurt a child's walking. Again it has to do with the parents allowing the child to spend so much time in the walker they don't learn how to walk normally.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
13 Dec 06
Those are illegal here in the US too, or at least, they don't sell them. I think that sucks, because you have to be an absolute idiot to leave your kid UPSTAIRS in one of those. Get a brain people! I had one as a kid and mom said I loved it. I want my kid to be able to have one. Out here they sell a very similar thing, it just doesn't move anywhere. I could easily add some wheels. :)
• United States
13 Dec 06
They sell them at Babies R Us and Toys R Us (at least they do around here). We got ours at Babies R Us in 2001 but last time we were there (this summer) they still had the same model for sale. It has a blue seat with teddy bears on it. My kids loved that thing. When my middle child was little the older kids used to push her all over the house. They loved it.
@mbs730 (2147)
• Canada
13 Dec 06
walkers are dangerous, I mean what if the baby ends up falling down the stairs.. anything can happen! We get distracted and if you take your eyes off of your child for a split second, that could be it! I never used them, and glad I didn't.
• United States
13 Dec 06
That's why you don't use them if you have open stair cases that a child could fall down or you put a gate up on the stairs. Anything could be dangerous. My kids could fall off the couch and break their necks--should I stop allowing them to sit on it? We could all choke on anything we are eating and die (almost happened to me when I was living alone--very scary) so do we stop eating? You just use common sense. Walkers are only as dangerous as you let them be.
@icequeen (2840)
• Canada
13 Dec 06
I agree...but it seems that because of a few people than everyone else is made to suffer....However...I think it is good that they were banned just to keep them out of the hands of neglectful parents...
• Netherlands
13 Dec 06
Children should be kept out of the hands of neglectful parents. Taking things away from them does not increase safety for the children in such homes. They will simply find something else to hurt themselves with while their parents ignore them.
@carmat (2849)
• Canada
20 Dec 06
We never used a walker like you have pictured, we had other toy type thing that the babies could pull them selves up to and had wheels so they walked along with them.I think it was called a walker but they child wasn't seated in it like you show. As far as the stair thing, we installed gates on all the stairs in our house.
• Australia
12 Dec 06
i am shocked they're banned!!!Our son has something similar to a wlaker, iexcept instead of his feet on the ground, its on this plastic thingy.Maybe something like that would work??Our son loves it & hes getting better at holdng his weight. Good luck!!!!!
@MakDomMom (1474)
• United States
12 Dec 06
What you are refering to is the exersaucer.
@ljmc24 (413)
• United States
12 Dec 06
My oldest had one of those. I don't think they should be illegal because a few parents can't keep up with their kids. We actually used ours outside, helped her get accustomed to playing outside. I did not want a child that wanted to stay in the house all the time. It worked she would rather be out there playing. I was looking at getting one of the exersaucer ones for my youngest, but I got one of the Johnny jumpers instead for the time being. Figure she will be crawling soon so she won't need anything like that for long. And they are quite expensive.
• United States
12 Dec 06
jump a roo - infant toy
I agree the excersaucers are quite expensive but so are the johnny jumpers, my mil priced one at toys r us and they were around $40, she paid $55 for a jump a roo or something like that, it has the same concept pretty much but it is on a frame somewhat like an infant swing frame, and has lights and toys for her to play with while shes in it, someone actually gave us a johnny jumper, their daughter was too big for it so its still brand new, and we bought our daughter an excersaucer for Christmas, she tends to like the excersaucer more than the johnny jumper or jump a roo, im not sure why
@amber81 (288)
• United States
12 Dec 06
Man i couldnt imagine going without a walker for my child... Thats crazy... Well i dont think its right either... people let their kids crawl around on the floor and they fall down stairs.. why are they gonna do next...
@Foxxee (3651)
• United States
13 Dec 06
Yep. Kids can fall down the stairs even without a walker. The only thing that will stop all these accidents is if the parents actually watched their kids.
@arvee17 (730)
• Philippines
12 Dec 06
baby, - child
i bought a walker for my son too before. but to tell you frankly it wasn't that much of a use... he learn how to walk fast by me helping him and not with a walker. i heard also from a friend of mine that walker is illegal in canada. it is also part good so not to waste too much money on a thing you would probably use for four or five months. but still having a walker around is a good experience for any baby.
@arvee17 (730)
• Philippines
12 Dec 06
but sometimes it is a little dangerous. my niece who used a walker before had an accident with it. she was running so fast with it then she suddenly stop and almost thrown away from the walker. it was scary to see actually.
• India
20 Dec 06
stupidity
• Canada
10 Oct 11
First Off All My Kids Had A Walker...Yes You Should Be Watching A Child..However.The Walker Themselfs Are Not The Issue Here...And I Dont Get It.A Child Can Not Go UP The Stairs And If You.Have Stairs That Go Down..Then You Would Think To Block Them Off...Wouldn't You Think??.No Wonder The Kids Today Are So Lazy..We Make Them So.
@ZowieR (940)
• Canada
13 Dec 06
:) - jhguy
aww we have the same prob I searched from when I was pregannt till he was 11 months! Then I found out there illegal in Canada! Does no one watch the kids any more? And what about us who have a flat? like we just have the upper level of a house, NO stairs. Theres pictures of me in my walker when i was little, and I was walking at 8 months! and now my son will be 1 year on christmas and is not yet walking.
@anne_143god (5387)
• Philippines
13 Dec 06
It's so unfair to you guys there living in Canada. I dont think so they should banned that for every baby needs a walker for them to learn how to walk.
@cnetboss (2475)
• Philippines
13 Dec 06
I thinks its absurd because the consider the baby walker illegal where their irresponsiblilty as parents are the one's harming the baby. Leaving the child unattended is a sign of a irresponsible parenting
• India
13 Dec 06
According to me ,If u hav time,please dont buy ababy walker,which is highly unsafe.You help your baby to walk and it s more safe to be in your lap
@roadromeo (376)
• India
13 Dec 06
hey that's indeed bad. jus bcoz some parents are nt responsible enough y shld others suffer.....we shld definetly revolt against this...
• India
13 Dec 06
No doubt a baby walker helps a baby to walk. But it is also true that if leave unattended it is dangerous. Even it can hurt your baby as you say.Parents must be attentive to a baby, using walker.