INFANCY
THE STATE OR PERIOD OF BEING AN INFANT; VERY EARLY CHILDHOOD, USUALLY THE PERIOD BEFORE BEING ABLE TO WALK; BABYHOOD.
INFANCY DEVELOPMENT STAGES
PHYSICAL CHANGES
BOSY ORGANS AND SYSTEMS ARE NOT FULLY DEVELOPED. BONES ARE STILL SOFT AND FLEXIBLE. SITTING , CRAWLING, STANDING AND WALKING ARE LEARNED. MILK TEETH THAT CAN SLIGHTLY CHEW SOLID FOOD ARE VISIBLE.
Key Facts About Growth
Size
• Most babies gain an ounce or 28 grams per day during the first two months. After that, they typically gain about a pound, or half a kilogram, per month.
• Most babies double their birth weight and grow 30% in length by the 5th month.
• By their first birthday, they typically triple their birth weight and grow more than 50% in length. Dental Growth
• On average, a baby’s first tooth appears at around 6 months.
• Some babies begin teething as early as 3 months, and others, after their first birthday.
• The lower two middle teeth usually come in first, followed by the upper two middle teeth.
These are typically followed by the lateral incisors, and then the canines, and molars.
• During teething, some babies become fussy, lose their appetite, and drool.
• Experts recommend that parents clean baby’s teeth regularly, avoid putting baby to bed with a bottle of milk or formula, and see a dentist before a baby’s first birthday.5 Infants: Physical Development
Key Facts About The Nervous System
Baby’s Brain and Nerves
• A baby’s brain reaches three-fourths of its adult weight and size by age 2!
• Babies are born with somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 and 200 BILLION neurons.
• A complex network of neurons will grow rapidly during the first few years of life.
• The neurons grow and become coated with myelin, which is