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The walkers are a special device on wheels that allows the child to sit tight in a special seat, the risk of falling in this case is minimal. Walkers - this is a good thing primarily for parents - the baby in a walker is busy, he can move around the room on his own, allowing his mother to do his own thing. In addition, modern walker models have a huge amount of entertainment on the top panel - melodies, colorful buttons, toys, labyrinths and other items. That is, in such a walker the baby is definitely not boring. But is the use of this item justified?
Walkers - the benefits and harm
We have already talked about the useful part of this children's subject. For the most part, mom needs a walker in order to have time to do a lot of things around the house. And they really save her - the kid can spend hours in this interesting fixture. However, the walker is fraught with serious danger.Improper use of them leads to the fact that the baby can begin health problems.
The main mistake parents make is they put a small child in a walker. The baby, whose spine is not yet strong, is not able to withstand such serious loads as the vertical position of the body. Often children who walk in a walker cannot walk for a long time. And all because the muscles of the back, waist and neck develop only in the crawling state. That is, to prepare for upright walking, the baby must crawl and train enough, and not walk in walkers. Early use of baby walkers (up to 6 months) leads to the fact that the child develops scoliosis and other problems with the spine due to a serious load for which the body is not yet ready. That is why in some countries, walkers are completely discontinued and prohibited for use.
Another negative factor that can be a serious problem in using a walker is the possibility of injury. Many parents, hoping for the safety of the walker, leave the child alone with the device.The walker wheel can fall into a recess in the floor, the walker rolls over. Especially carefully you need to follow the stairs in the house - they need to be closed with special partitions for children. It must be understood that the walker does not exempt from the need to look after the child.
Children, who often walk in walkers, have another problem - later, due to the habit of pushing off their toes, they often start walking on their toes. This is very harmful for the body, because the weight of the child is not distributed to the whole foot. If you do not have a walker - do not buy them, replace the device with a playpen. If you already have a walker, follow the clear rules so as not to harm your child. First - you can not put a baby in a walker, if he does not know how to sit and crawl. This is a serious load for the immature spine. It is better to put the baby in a walker not earlier than 8 months. The second rule is to use a walker for only 30-40 minutes a day, maximum an hour. The rest of the time, the child must crawl to strengthen his muscular corset. The third rule - do not leave the baby alone, even if he is on a walker and there are no bumps near.Anything can happen and an adult should be there. If you are ready to follow three simple rules, we will tell you how to teach a child to walk in walkers.
How to teach a child to walk on walkers
First of all, you need to understand that now the child will move independently and will be able to climb anywhere. Close the corners of furniture and shoals with special silicone lining, which are able to soften the possible impact. Close all outlets that are at the height of the baby, remove electrical appliances and various cords. Household chemicals and other hazardous compounds should be removed from the reach zone. As noted, you need to close the stairs, if there are such in the house. Only by following these simple rules, you can begin to teach your baby to walk on walkers.
- Having brought a new object into the house, it should be thoroughly washed and disinfected. After all, on the shelf of the store, the walkers must have been touched by quite a few people. And your baby will certainly want to get acquainted with a new subject, first of all licked it.
- When walkers appear in the house, do not rush to put the child inside - you can scare him, and he will beware of this object. Let him get acquainted with the new toy, let the kid research everything well.
- When the crumb ceases to be afraid, carefully put him on the seat. Be careful, any pain may be associated with the object and the baby will flatly refuse to sit in a walker. The child should be comfortable and convenient.
- Let the little one get comfortable in the new position. Let the baby play a little. Then gently move his legs to show the child how to push off from the floor. At the same time, push the walkers slightly, so that the baby understands that his movement with his feet causes him to move and move independently.
- Adjust the height of the seat so that the baby touches the floor with a full foot, and not just socks.
- Never put a crying child in a walker, it can cause fear in the baby, and he does not want to use this toy anymore.
- When the crumb ceases to be afraid, and will sit quietly in its first transport, you can step back a little and call the baby with a kind word or “entice” his favorite toy. The main thing for a child to understand the principle of action is that he pushes himself with his feet and this leads to his movement. If the baby does everything, by all means praise him.
- If the child is just sitting in the walker, you can take him by the arms and slightly lift the ass. You must show the baby that it is not necessary to sit in the walker, it is a device for safe standing. Lift the baby to its feet and slightly release the handles. The child will soon realize that even if he falls, he will not be hurt. This will give him confidence.
- Watch the baby carefully. It happens that sometimes children move only in one direction, the body is always tilted sideways. Try to motivate the crumbs to move in the opposite direction. If it does not work out - it’s worth while to give up on a walker so as not to contribute to the development of spinal curvature.
- Do not roll the child in the walker, otherwise the legs will drag on the floor, the baby will perceive the walker as a fun ride, and then will begin to ask you to ride it. Move the body of the walker can only simultaneously with the rearrangement of the child's legs. Your task in this is to let the child understand how this thing works.
Usually, the child quickly gets used to the walker, and begins to use them within a few days after the appearance of a new “toy” in the house.
A walker is a special item that can be incredibly useful and at the same time dangerous for a child. When used correctly, the walker can be a real salvation for the naughty baby and his mother - the child will not ask for hands, but he can move around the room and pick up the toys he needs. But in order not to harm the baby, you need to follow simple safety rules.
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