When referring to young children, people have a tendency to use the phrases “baby,” “newborn,” “infant,” and “toddler” interchangeably. However, each of these phrases truly refers to a separate stage in a child’s development and has a specific connotation associated with it. The differences between a baby, a newborn, an infant, and a toddler are going to be discussed in this blog post.
Newborns:
A infant that has not yet reached the age of 28 days old is considered to be a newborn. During this time period, babies are totally reliant on their carers for everything, including eating, changing their diapers, and providing them with comfort. Unless they are being fed or changed, newborns spend the majority of their days sleeping. The only time they wake up is to eat. In general, they are not extremely active or responsive to the stimuli that come from the outside world, but toward the conclusion of this stage, they may begin to concentrate on the people and things that are in their surrounding surroundings.
Infants:
The word “newborn” is no longer applied to a person after the first 28 days of their life. Instead, the term “infant” is used to refer to a baby up until the time when they achieve their first birthday. Infants go through a period of rapid development and a great deal of change at this stage. They begin to have greater control over their movements and become more aware of their environment as this stage progresses. Towards the end of this period, infants may start to smile, coo, and babble. Additionally, they may start to roll over, sit up, and crawl.
Toddlers:
Babies mature into toddlers once their first year of life has passed. This period lasts from the time a child is one to the time they are three years old. Toddlers start to become more self-sufficient and curious about the world around them throughout this period of development. They may begin to use rudimentary words and phrases to interact with others, as well as start to walk, run, and climb on their own. Tantrums are a common occurrence among toddlers since they are still adjusting to their newly discovered independence and the fact that they do not have complete control over their surroundings.
Principal Distinctions:
Therefore, what are the most important distinctions between these stages? Newborns are in the very early stages of life and are totally reliant on the care that their parents or other caretakers provide for them. Infants begin to become more aware of their surroundings and begin to develop some degree of control over their movements. Toddlers have a great deal of autonomy and are only beginning to discover the world around them.
To summarize, even though we frequently use the phrases “baby,” “newborn,” “infant,” and “toddler” interchangeably, these descriptors actually relate to distinct stages of a child’s growth and development. If parents and other caregivers have a greater understanding of these distinctions, it will help them better comprehend the needs and behaviors of young children.