New law bans infant walkers at New York child care facilities
The law goes into effect 90 days after its enactment.
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A big change is coming to child care facilities in New York.
Infant walkers will be banned at child care facilities - thanks to a new law that was just signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Dr. Maryann Buetti-Sgouros, the chair of pediatrics at Northern Westchester Hospital, called the bill a major win for child safety. The bill was promoted by Assemblywoman Amy Paulin.
"There's thousands of injuries every single year from these walkers...But the other thing, also with the walker, is that it prevents normal development," Buetti-Sgouros says.
Leah Frazier, an infant teacher at Blessed Beginnings Daycare in Yonkers, says she's not surprised by the new law, either.
"There's not really any stability...If the child is not used to standing up much, if you're not supervising, if it falls forward too much, they're going to fall on their face," Frazier says.
The law goes into effect 90 days after its enactment, but the day care's founder, Janea Powell, says the change won't impact them much.
"We really don't use them," Powell says.
Powell says the walkers that they do have were recently donated.
Now that they're being phased out, she already knows what they'll do with them.
"I wouldn't want them to not be safe at home either, so we may just have to discard them," Powell says.
Laura Newman, the executive director of The Childcare Council of Westchester, says her organization will work to inform daycares about the new rule.
In the meantime, Newman says there are alternatives that providers can use instead of a walker.
"You know, a good old fashion blanket on the floor is fine for a baby. That gives them the freedom of movement without putting them in danger," Newman says.
