Baby walkers — devices designed to give babies mobility while they're learning to walk — can cause serious injuries. The American Academy of Pediatrics urges parents not to use baby walkers.

For example, babies who use baby walkers might:

• Trip and fall over
• Roll down stairs
• Get into dangerous places that would otherwise be difficult to reach

Research also suggests that use of baby walkers doesn't help the process of learning to walk. Instead, baby walkers eliminate the desire to walk.

Don't allow your baby to use a baby walker and make sure that your baby's other caregivers don't use baby walkers, either. Instead, consider using a stationary walker or activity center. Rather than wheels, these devices have seats that rotate and bounce. They will allow your baby to play safely as he or she learns to walk.