title: Baby walker injury, disability, and death in a high-income middle eastern country, as reported by siblings.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Baby walkers (BWs) are frequent causes of infant injuries. Little research is reported from the Middle East and few population-based studies anywhere.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using multistage random sampling in a city of the United Arab Emirates, 4 of 8 female Arab government high schools and 3 final-year classes each from science and arts tracks were selected. Structured self-administered questionnaires assessed prevalence, frequency, severity, and external causes of BW incidents and injuries, and residential hazards.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Response was 100 %, 696 students, 55 % (n = 385) Emirati citizens. 87 % (n = 605) of families used/had used BWs. Among 646 injuries were 118 ER (emergency) visits, 42 hospitalizations, 11 disabilities, and 3 deaths. Average risk was 1 incident/user, 1 injury/4 users, 1 ER visit/20, 1 hospitalization/55, 1 disability/200, 1 death/1000. Odds ratios for >1:1 floor levels were 2.3 (95 % confidence interval: 1.2, 4.3) for hospitalization, 16.8 (95 % CI: 2.1, 132.5) disability. Incidents included hitting objects 48 % (n = 1322), overturning 23 % (n = 632), accessing hazardous objects 17 % (n = 473), and falling down stairs 11 % (n = 300); 1 % (n = 32) fell into swimming pools. In 49 % (n = 297/605) of user families, ≥1 child had been injured.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite causing many injuries including disabilities and fatalities, BWs were used by nearly all families. Governments should consider Canada's lead in prohibiting importation, sales, and advertising of BWs.
authors.affiliation: School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barss
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. m.grivna@uaeu.ac.ae.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2349-0922
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grivna
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Amna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Hanaee
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Ayesha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Dhahab
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Fatima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Al-Kaabi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Shamma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Muhairi
keywords: Baby walker; Babywalker; Child injury; Disability; Epidemiology; Falls; Infant walker; Mortality; Prevention