Consumer Reports is calling on the United States to ban a popular baby accessory that’s not allowed in Canada and has been linked to thousands of injuries, and even deaths.
During an in-depth investigation into the risks of infant walkers, Consumer Reports found that sit-in baby walkers have been linked to pediatric deaths and thousands of injuries.
They can be bought all over, including on Amazon and Facebook Marketplace. But many parents don’t realize they aren’t safe, according to the study.
Sit-in walkers are deemed unsafe by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which has also called for a ban on the manufacture and sale of them in the U.S.
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Baby walker bans elsewhere
The walkers have been outlawed in Canada since 2004. Their Consumer Product Safety Bureau investigated reports of serious head injuries, and that led to the ban.
It’s illegal to import, advertise, or sell sit-in baby walkers in Canada, even at garage sales, flea markets, or street corners.
Experts in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand are among those who have also called for bans, according to the investigation.
Call for federal ban
On Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, Consumer Reports officially called for a federal ban of sit-in baby walkers in the United States.
The call for a ban does not include push walkers or stationary activity centers.
“While federal safety standards exist, thousands of babies are still sent to emergency rooms every year in connection with the use of infant walkers, and recalls have not been enough to keep children safe,” Consumer Reports said.
“The evidence is clear: Infant walkers are unsafe, and the current federal standard fails to address their well-known risks,” said Oriene Shin, policy counsel for Consumer Reports. “Thousands of babies continue to be injured by these products every year, and parents deserve better choices for products that support their baby’s development. Congress should ban infant walkers and help parents keep their babies safe as they grow and learn how to walk.”
Federal law in the U.S. makes it hard for the Consumer Product Safety Commission to impose a ban, the report says. The CPSC has to prove that banning a product is the only viable option.
Consumer Reports released a petition that allows people to join the call for Congress to ban the manufacture, sale, and distribution of infant walkers in the US. Click here to view the petition.
Consumer Reports is also urging companies to stop making and selling sit-in baby walkers.
“Despite being a popular product, there is no medical evidence to support the claim that baby walkers aid in children learning to walk sooner,” the report says. “Instead, the product can be harmful to babies’ development and put them at risk of serious injury."
Parents are advised to use activity centers, push walkers, and other similar toys to keep babies entertained and safe.
Early safety concerns
The CPSC estimates an average of 3,000 injuries per year were linked to infant walkers from 2004-2008.
Those children were under the age of 15 months and treated in hospital emergency departments, the report says.
Babies commonly fell out of walkers or down stairs. They often had head and face injuries, and even damage to internal organs.
Eight deaths linked to the walkers were reported by the CPSC from 2004-2008.
Other risks included drowning in bathtubs or pools, burns, and poisoning (because higher surfaces are easier to reach in the walkers).
Safety standard changes
The CPSC responded to the rash of injuries by making some 2007 American Society for Testing and Materials safety standards mandatory in 2010.
In short, those standards were designed to prevent stair falls and tip-overs. They also addressed children’s legs becoming trapped.
The rules were updated again in 2022 to further address stair falls.
Recent injuries
The safety standards decreased injuries, but only to a point, according to Consumer Reports.
A CPSC report in 2024 estimated 2,467 yearly injuries to children under 5 in baby walkers, jumpers, and exercisers from 2021-2023.
A market research company found that 351,000 fewer baby walkers were sold in 2023 than in 2013. That suggests the ratio of injuries is just as significant as before.
“Maybe we’re not seeing as much of the fall down the stairs, but the risks are numerous, and the AAP would point out that they aren’t just about the fall risk, but there’s also other dangers and risks that come from them,” said James Dodington, MD, a pediatric emergency medicine doctor.
Dodington pointed to high risks of head and neck injuries, burns from stoves, and the potential of falling into bodies of water.
“One thing that’s really not well understood, I think by the public in general, is just how fast infants can travel in these walkers -- multiple feet per second,” Dodington said.
