Walking timeline: Your child's development More baby videos

Putting a baby in a walker is like giving a teenager a Ferrari -- definitely not recommended.That's why, as of April 2007, Canada has banned the sale, importation and advertising of all baby walkers. It's against the law to even sell a used baby walker at a garage sale or flea market.Baby walkers have resulted in serious injuries. Falls down stairs in baby walkers are the greatest cause of head injuries for children under the age of two, according to studies done for Health Canada.Most injuries are caused by falls when the baby walker tips and the baby is thrown downstairs or crashes into furniture, heaters or ovens. There is also an increased risk of your baby being burnt by previously inaccessible objects, such as candles and hot cups of tea. Thirdly, it allows her to reach household poisons , such as perfume, mouthwash or alcohol, left at a previously safe level.Despite the Canadian ban, injuries from baby walkers are still a risk for Canadian children since some are available as hand-me-downs. But, remember, studies indicate that walkers do not help babies learn to walk and can actually lead to delays in child development, so there's really no benefit to using a baby walker.If you have a baby walker, Health Canada strongly suggests that you discard it. Make sure you remove the wheels so that it will not place an infant at risk if someone else retreives it.