Q: My year old baby girl does not even crawl or sit on her own without support. But she loves to sit in her walker and stands and plays in it. Does she have some developmental problems?

A:An average Indian child learns to walk without any support any time between 10 and 18 months according to the Trivandrum Developmental Scale. Most children walk with support much before that. Most children are able to sit by 6 months even though it may be delayed as late as 10 months. If she is neither sitting or crawling by 10 months, I would suggest an evaluation by a pediatrician. Baby walkers have been a considerable source of controversy. Most infant walkers are designed for children between 6 and 15 months. Many parents believe that such walkers teach a child to walk faster, but studies suggest that it is not always true and they may actually delay walking. American Academy of Pediatrics has issued warning to discourage parents from using it due to possible health hazards (Pediatrics 2001 September; 108(3):790-2).