| In a bold move Canada banned the use of baby | | | | of baby walkers has taken place. There is |
| walkers on April 7th, 2004; this expanded the | | | | continued momentum globally from various groups |
| voluntary ban Canada implemented in 1989. The | | | | trying to get local, national and international |
| ban is expansive, covering all sales within the | | | | banning of the product. |
| country both new and old. This means that | | | | If you are either a new parent or someone |
| someone who has one sitting around in the attic | | | | without children you may wonder what the fuss |
| can't pull it down and sell it at a garage sale. There | | | | is all about. The concern is really twofold, first the |
| is no advertising whatsoever and all importation | | | | safety of the child. More so than with any other |
| has been banned, including those from the United | | | | child toy baby walkers cause the greatest risk to |
| States. It is even against the law for a consumer | | | | injury, with the two most common being falls, |
| to purchase the product from another country | | | | either downstairs or by tipping over and burns. |
| and bring it into the country. Basically, it is the | | | | The burns happen when a guardian isn't paying |
| attempt of the Canadian government to totally | | | | attention and coffee cups or other hot liquids spill |
| remove them from the country. One are this | | | | on the child. |
| does not cover is hand me strollers from person | | | | The other area of concern is the mental and |
| to person. | | | | physical development children using a baby walker |
| The ban came down from Health Minister Pierre | | | | faces. Tests have shown children who have |
| Pettigrew who praised companies that followed | | | | never used a walker develop mentally and |
| the volunteer ban set in 1989. He stated that | | | | physically quicker than those children that have |
| Canadian children needed to be kept safe from | | | | used the baby walkers. The debate will rage on as |
| the injuries commonly associated with the use of | | | | to whether they should be banned globally and to |
| infant walkers. Canada is the first and only | | | | whether the development is actually slowed by |
| country to ban the use of baby walkers, in other | | | | children using baby walkers. Outside of Canada |
| areas such as the State of Washington in the | | | | where the ban is national the onus will fall to the |
| United States they have been outlawed in child | | | | parent as to whether they believe there is a risk |
| daycare centers. In other areas the voluntary ban | | | | to their child. |