Moreover, studies have shown that walkers do not actually hasten walking. Although babies can move the walker at an early age by pushing with their feet, this is only because their body is supported and not because they have the motor control and balance necessary for walking. This movement is merely propulsion, not walking. But parents should always be concerned with how long their child is in a walker. It should only be for short periods of time.
Walkers also can contribute to motor control and comfort in certain babies with special needs.
And in some babies, a walker helps them come to a middle upright position. All four of her extremities are involved and she has a difficult time separating from her mother. Discouraged by the child s continued volatile responses when she placed the girl on the floor, the mother tried a walker. While she s in the walker, her feet are flat and her knees are bent. Her head control has improved as a result.