age of infants
Adequate food consumption at an early age is vital for an infant’s development. From birth to four months, infants should consume breast milk or an unmodified milk substitute. As an infant’s diet matures, finger foods may be introduced as well as fruit, vegetables and small amounts of meat. Still, infant growth tends to follow a fairly predictable path. Consider these general guidelines for infant growth in the first year: From birth to age 6 months, a baby may grow 1/2 to 1 inch (about 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters) a month and gain 5 to 7 ounces (about 140 to 200 grams) a week. Expect your baby to double his or her birth weight by about age 5 months. In the UK, infant is a term that can be applied to school children aged between four and seven. As a legal terminology, infancy continues from birth until age 18. An infant is usually called a baby in simple English, as many people use the term 'baby' instead of infant. Answers from Jay L. Hoecker, M.D. Healthy infants come in a range of sizes. Still, infant growth tends to follow a fairly predictable path. From birth to age 6 months, a baby may grow 1/2 to 1 inch (about 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters) a month and gain 5 to 7 ounces (about 140 to 200 grams) a week. Their nervous system is not fully developed. During the first months, infants can see clearly objects that are about 10 inches away from their faces. By six months, their vision is more fully developed. By four months, most babies have some control of their muscles and nervous system. This guide will share characteristics of most infants. These characteristics are divided into three main areas: physical (body), social-emotional (getting along with others), and intellectual (thinking and language) development. All age ranges given are approximate. Remember that infants are human. Teething usually begins around 6 months of age. But it is normal for teething to start at any time between 3 months and 12 months of age. By the time your child is about 3 years old, he or she will have all 20 primary teeth. The lower front teeth usually come in first. Upper front teeth usually come in 1 to 2 months after the lower front teeth. Newborns also begin to recognize important sounds in their environment, such as the voice of their mother or primary caretaker. As they grow, babies begin to sort out the speech sounds that compose the words of their language. By 6 months of age, most babies recognize the basic sounds of their native language. Children vary in their development of speech and language skills. However, they follow a natural progression or timetable for mastering the skills of language. A checklist of milestones for the normal development of speech and language skills in children from birth to 5 years of age is included below. These milestones help doctors and other health professionals determine if a child is on track or if he or she may need extra help. When a human child learns to walk, the term toddler may be used instead. The term infant is typically applied to young children between the ages of 1 month and 12 months; however, definitions may vary between birth and 1 year of age, or even between birth and 2 years of age. A newborn is an infant who is only hours, days, or up to a few weeks old. Some infants are very quiet and sleep a lot. Other infants are very active. Accepting these differences will make it easier to take care of infants and help them grow and develop. A child that walks or talks at a younger age than another child is not necessarily better or more advanced.
Between the ages of 1 month and 12 months.