A 1905 painting by AHS Landor of a Tibetan infant. Arnold Henry Savage Landor (1865– 26 December 1924) was an English painter explorer writer and anthropologist born in Florence

In basic English usage, an infant is defined as a human child at the youngest stage of life, specifically before they can walk and generally before the age of one^[1] (see also child and adolescent). CHILD syndrome (or congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform erythroderma and limb defects) is a genetic disorder

The term "infant" derives from the Latin word in-fans, meaning "unable to speak. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. " There is no exact definition for infancy. "Infant" is also a legal term with the meaning of minor;^[2] that is, any child under the age of legal adulthood. In law the term minor (also infant or infancy) is used to refer to a person who is under the age in which one legally assumes Adulthood and is legally

A human infant less than a month old is a newborn infant or a neonate. ^[3] The term "newborn" includes premature infants, postmature infants and full term newborns. Premature birth (also known as preterm birth) is the Birth of a Baby before the standard period of Pregnancy is completed Pregnancy ( Latin graviditas) is the carrying of one or more offspring known as a Fetus or Embryo, inside the Uterus of a Female

Upon reaching the age of one or beginning to walk, infants are subsequently referred to as "toddlers" (generally 12-36 months). Toddler is a common term for a young Child who is learning to walk or "toddle", generally considered to be the second stage of development after infancy Daycares with an "infant room" often call all children in it "infants" even if they are older than a year and/or walking; they sometimes use the term "walking infant". Day care or child care is care of a child during the Day by a person other than the child's Parents or Legal guardians typically someone outside

The newborn

Appearance

Newborn infant, just seconds after delivery.

A newborn's shoulders and hips are narrow, the abdomen protrudes slightly, and the arms and legs are relatively short. The average birth weight of a full-term newborn is approximately 7 ½ lbs. Birth weight is the weight of a baby at its birth. It has direct links with the Gestational age at which the child was born and can be estimated (3. 2 kg), but is typically in the range of 5. 5–10 pounds (2. 7–4. 6 kg). The average total body length is 14–20 inches (35. 6–50. 8 cm), although premature newborns may be much smaller. The Apgar score is a measure of a newborn's transition from the uterus during the first minutes of life. The uterus (from the Latin word for womb) is the major Female reproductive organ of most Mammals including Humans One end the A giant baby however, was born in the Philippines. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Maria Victoria Cervantes Santiago of San Rafael, Rodriguez, Rizal gave birth on June 11, 208 to 7th child 12. Rizal is a province of the Philippines located in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 20 kilometers east of Manila. Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. 7 pounds “Renz” by normal delivery by a midwife. Newly-born babies in the Philippines usually weigh between 7 to 8 pounds. ^[4]

A newborn's head is very large in proportion to the rest of the body, and the cranium is enormous relative to his or her face. While the adult human skull is about 1/8 of the total body length, the newborn's is about 1/4. At birth, many regions of the newborn's skull have not yet been converted to bone, leaving "soft spots" known as fontanels. References in Pop Culture The dragon in John Gardner's 1971 novel Grendel makes reference to the fontanele as a mark of the universe's progress The two largest are the diamond-shaped anterior fontanel, located at the top front portion of the head, and the smaller triangular-shaped posterior fontanel, which lies at the back of the head. Later in the child's life, these bones will fuse together in a natural process. A protein called noggin is responsible for the delay in an infant's skull fusion. Noggin is a polypeptide that inhibits TGF-β signal transduction by binding to TGF-β family ligands and preventing them from binding to their corresponding receptors ^[5]

During labour and birth, the infant's skull changes shape to fit through the birth canal, sometimes causing the child to be born with a misshapen or elongated head. Childbirth (also called labour, birth, partus or parturition) is the culmination of a Human Pregnancy or The vagina (from Latin, literally " Sheath " or " Scabbard " is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the Uterus It will usually return to normal on its own within a few days or weeks. Special exercises sometimes advised by physicians may assist the process. A physician, medical practitioner or medical doctor who practices Medicine, and is concerned with maintaining or restoring human Health

Some newborns have a fine, downy body hair called lanugo. Lanugo is fine downy Hair; it is a type of Pelage. In humans Fetal development It may be particularly noticeable on the back, shoulders, forehead, ears and face of premature infants. Lanugo disappears within a few weeks. Likewise, not all infants are born with lush heads of hair. Some may be nearly bald while others may have very fine, almost invisible hair. Some babies are even born with a full head of hair. Amongst fair-skinned parents, this fine hair may be blond, even if the parents are not. The scalp may also be temporarily bruised or swollen, especially in hairless newborns, and the area around the eyes may be puffy. The scalp is the anatomical area bordered by the Face anteriorly and the Neck to the sides and posteriorly

Immediately after birth, a newborn's skin is often grayish to dusky blue in color. As soon as the newborn begins to breathe, usually within a minute or two, the skin's color returns to its normal tone. Newborns are wet, covered in streaks of blood, and coated with a white substance known as vernix caseosa, which is hypothesised to act as an antibacterial barrier. Vernix, also known as Vernix caseosa, is the waxy or " cheesy " white substance found coating the Skin of Newborn humans Antiseptics (from Greek αντί - anti, '"against" + σηπτικός - septikos, "putrefactive" are antimicrobial The newborn may also have Mongolian spots, various other birthmarks, or peeling skin, particularly on the wrists, hands, ankles, and feet. A Mongolian Spot, Mongolian Fleck or Mongolian Blue Spot is a Benign flat congenital Birthmark with wavy borders and irregular shape A birthmark is a Blemish on the Skin formed before Birth. A little over 1 in 10 babies have a Vascular birthmark

A newborn's genitals are enlarged and reddened, with male infants having an unusually large scrotum. A sex organ, or primary sexual characteristic, as narrowly defined is any of the anatomical parts of the body which are involved in sexual reproduction and constitute The breasts may also be enlarged, even in male infants. This is caused by naturally-occurring maternal hormones and is a temporary condition. Females (and even males) may actually discharge milk from their nipples (sometimes called witch's milk), and/or a bloody or milky-like substance from the vagina. Witch's milk or neonatal milk is Milk secreted from the Breasts of some Newborn infants It is the result of influence by the mother's Hormones In either case, this is considered normal and will disappear in time.

The umbilical cord of a newborn is bluish-white in color. In placental Mammals the umbilical cord (also called the birth cord or funiculus umbilicalis) is the connecting cord from the developing Embryo After birth, the umbilical cord is normally cut, leaving a 1–2 inch stub. The umbilical stub will dry out, shrivel, darken, and spontaneously fall off within about 3 weeks. Occasionally, hospitals may apply triple dye to the umbilical stub to prevent infection, which may temporarily color the stub and surrounding skin purple. A hospital is an institution for Health care providing treatment by specialised staff and equipment and often but not always providing for An infection is the detrimental Colonization of a host Organism by a foreign Species.

Newborns lose many of the above physical characteristics quickly. Thus prototypical older babies look very different. While older babies are considered "cute", newborns can be "unattractive" by the same criteria and first time parents may need to be educated in this regard.

The newborn's senses

As an infant's vision develops, he or she may seem preoccupied with watching surrounding objects and people.

Newborns can feel all different sensations, but respond most enthusiastically to soft stroking, cuddling and caressing. Gentle rocking back and forth often calms a crying infant, as do massages and warm baths. Newborns may comfort themselves by sucking their thumb, or a pacifier. A pacifier, dummy, or soother is a Rubber, Plastic, or Silicone Nipple given to an Infant or other young The need to suckle is instinctive (see suction in biology) and allows newborns to feed. Suction is the flow of a fluid into a partial Vacuum, or region of low pressure

Newborn infants have unremarkable vision, being able to focus on objects only about 18 inches (45 cm) directly in front of their face. While this may not be much, it is all that is needed for the infant to look at the mother’s eyes or areola when breastfeeding. This aritcle is about the breast tissue For the Entomology term see Glossary of Lepidopteran_terms#Wings. Breastfeeding is the feeding of an Infant or young Child with Breast milk directly from human Breasts, not from a Baby bottle or other Depth perception does not develop until the infant is mobile. Depth perception is the visual ability to perceive the world in three Dimensions Although any animal capable of moving around its environment must be able to Generally, a newborn cries when wanting to feed. When a newborn is not sleeping, or feeding, or crying, he or she may spend a lot of time staring at random objects. Usually anything that is shiny, has sharp contrasting colors, or has complex patterns will catch an infant's eye. However, the newborn has a preference for looking at other human faces above all else. (see also: infant metaphysics and infant vision)

While still inside the mother, the infant could hear many internal noises, such as the mother's heartbeat, as well as many external noises including human voices, music and most other sounds. The science of infant vision gives a verifiable basis for some practices of Pediatric ophthalmology and gathers measurements intended to describe monitor and predict Therefore, although a newborn's ears may have some catarrh and fluid, he or she can hear sound from before birth. Catarrh (kəˈtɑ(r is a thick Exudate of Mucus and white blood cells caused by the swelling of the Mucous membranes in the Head Newborns usually respond to a female voice over a male voice. This may explain why people will unknowingly raise the pitch of their voice when talking to newborns (this voice change is called motherese). The sound of other human voices, especially the mother's, can have a calming or soothing effect on the newborn. Conversely, loud or sudden noises will startle and scare a newborn. Newborns have been shown to prefer sounds that were a regular feature of their prenatal environment, for example, the theme tune of a television programme that their mother watched regularly.

Newborns can respond to different tastes, including sweet, sour, bitter, and salty substances, with a preference toward sweets. It has been shown that neonates show a preference for the smell of foods that their mother ate regularly.

A newborn has a developed sense of smell at birth, and within the first week of life can already distinguish the differences between the mother's own breast milk and the breast milk of another female. Breast milk refers to the Milk produced by a mother to feed her baby

Infant mortality

Main article: Infant mortality

An infant

Infant mortality is the death of an infant in the first year of life. Infant mortality is defined as the number of deaths of Infants (one year of age or younger per 1000 live births Infant mortality can be subdivided into neonatal death, referring to deaths in the first 27 days of life, and post-neonatal death, referring to deaths after 28 days of life. Major causes of infant mortality include dehydration, infection, congenital malformation, and SIDS. Dehydration ( hypohydration) is the removal of Water ( hydro in ancient Greek) from an object An infection is the detrimental Colonization of a host Organism by a foreign Species. Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS is a syndrome marked by the symptoms of sudden and unexplained death of an apparently healthy Infant aged one month to one year ^[6]

This epidemiological indicator is recognized as a very important measure of the level of health care in a country because it is directly linked with the health status of infants, children, and pregnant women as well as access to medical care, socioeconomic conditions, and public health practices. Epidemiology is the study of factors affecting the Health and Illness of populations and serves as the foundation and Logic of interventions made in the Health is a state of complete physical mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts and informed choices of society organisations ^{[7] [8]}

Care and feeding

Main article: Childcare

A newborn breastfeeding. Childcare (also written child care and babycare is the act of caring for and supervising minor Children (In Australia Daycare is referred

An infant feeding from bottle shortly after birth.

Infants cry as a form of basic instinctive communication. A crying infant may be trying to express a variety of feelings including hunger, discomfort, overstimulation, boredom or loneliness. Many caregivers employ the use of baby monitors or babycams which enable them to hear or see an infant's cries from another room. A typical baby monitor, also known as a baby alarm, is a Simplex ( uni-directional) Transmitter and receiver system used to remotely A typical baby monitor, also known as a baby alarm, is a Simplex ( uni-directional) Transmitter and receiver system used to remotely

Feeding is typically done by breastfeeding, which is the recommended method of feeding by all major infant health organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics. Breastfeeding is the feeding of an Infant or young Child with Breast milk directly from human Breasts, not from a Baby bottle or other ^[9] However, if breastfeeding is not possible or desired, bottle feeding may be done with expressed breast-milk or with infant formula. Infant formula is an artificial substitute for human Breast milk, designed for Infant consumption Infants have a sucking instinct allowing them to extract the milk from the nipples of the breasts or the nipple of the baby bottle, as well as an instinctive behavior known as rooting with which they seek out the nipple. In its most general form a nipple is a Structure from which a fluid emanates A baby bottle is a Bottle with a Teat (also called a Nipple in the US) to drink directly from Sometimes a wet nurse is hired to feed the infant, although this is rare, especially in developed countries. A wet nurse is a woman who breast feeds a baby that is not her own

As infants age, and their appetites grow, many parents choose from a variety of commercial, ready-made baby foods to supplement breast milk or formula for the child, while others adapt their usual meals for the dietary needs of their child. Baby food is any Food, other than breastmilk or infant formula that is given specifically to Infants roughly between the ages of four months Infants are incontinent, therefore diapers are generally used in industrialized countries, while methods similar to elimination communication^[10] are common in third world countries. "Nappy" redirects here For other uses see Nappy (disambiguation and Diaper (disambiguation. Elimination communication (EC is a process by which a caregiver uses timing signals cues and intuition to address an infant's excretive needs partially or completely Practitioners of these techniques assert that babies can control their bodily functions at the age of six months and that they are aware when they are urinating at an even earlier age. Babies can learn to signal to the parents when it is time to urinate or defecate by turning or making noises. Parents have to pay attention to the baby's actions so they can learn the signals.

Children need a relatively larger amount of sleep to function correctly (up to 18 hours for newborn babies, with a declining rate as the child ages).

A mother holds her baby while it is immunized.

An infant playing with his toys.

Babies cannot walk, although more mature infants may crawl or scoot; baby transport may be by perambulator (stroller or buggy), on the back or in front of an adult in a special carrier, cloth or cradle board, or simply by being carried in the arms. Babywearing is the practice of wearing or carrying a Baby or Child in a sling or other form of carrier A cradle board is a typical North American Baby carrier used to keep babies secure and comfortable and at the same time allowing the mothers freedom to work and travel Most industrialized countries have laws requiring infants to be placed in special child safety seats when in motor vehicles. See also Baby transport An infant safety seat, a "child restraint system" or "restraint car seat" is a Restraint which is secured

Infants' social presence is different from that of adults, and they may be the focus of attention. Fees for transportation and entrance fees at locations such as amusement parks or museums are often waived. This special attention will wear out as the child grows older.

Common care issues for infants:

• Baby colic and/or gas. Infant colic (also known as baby colic, three month colic, and Infantile colic) is a condition in which an otherwise healthy baby cries or screams
• Childhood development. Child development refers to the biological and psychological changes that occur in human beings between birth and the end of Adolescence, as the individual
• Hygiene:
  • Bathing or showering. Hygiene refers to practices associated with ensuring good health and cleanliness Bathing is the immersion of the body in a Fluid, usually Water or an aqueous solution A shower (also called shower bath is a booth for washing usually in a Bathroom, having an overhead nozzle that sprays water down on the body
  • Umbilical cord and navel. In placental Mammals the umbilical cord (also called the birth cord or funiculus umbilicalis) is the connecting cord from the developing Embryo The navel (also called an umbilicus or colloquially belly button) is a Scar on the Abdomen, caused when the Umbilical cord is removed
• Day care. Day care or child care is care of a child during the Day by a person other than the child's Parents or Legal guardians typically someone outside
• Diaper rash. Diaper rash ( US) or nappy rash ( UK) is a generic term applied to Skin rashes in the Diaper area that are caused by various skin
• Feeding: Breastfeeding or Infant formula (Baby bottle). Breastfeeding is the feeding of an Infant or young Child with Breast milk directly from human Breasts, not from a Baby bottle or other Infant formula is an artificial substitute for human Breast milk, designed for Infant consumption A baby bottle is a Bottle with a Teat (also called a Nipple in the US) to drink directly from
• Immunization. Immunization, or immunisation, is the process by which an individual's Immune system becomes fortified against an agent (known as the
• Paternal bond. The paternal bond is typically the relationship between a Father and his child
• Pacifier use. A pacifier, dummy, or soother is a Rubber, Plastic, or Silicone Nipple given to an Infant or other young
• Sleep: bassinet and infant bed. Sleep is a Natural state of bodily rest observed throughout the animal kingdom A bassinet or bassinette is a bed specifically for Babies from birth to about four months and small enough to provide a " Cocoon " An infant bed (commonly referred to as a cot in British English and a crib cradle or stock) is a small bed specifically for Infants
• Teething. Teething is the process by which an Infant 's Teeth sequentially appear by breaking through the gums
• Epilepsy

Attachment

Gambian mother with infant

Main articles: Attachment theory, Attachment in children, and Attachment disorder

Attachment theory is primarily an evolutionary and ethological theory whereby the infant or child seeks proximity to a specified attachment figure in situations of alarm or distress, for the purpose of survival. Epilepsy is a common chronic Neurological disorder that is characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures. Attachment theory, originating in the work of John Bowlby, is a Psychological, evolutionary and ethological theory that provides a descriptive Attachment in children is a theory of attachment between children and their caregivers specifically addressing the behaviors and emotions that children direct toward familiar adults Attachment disorder is a broad term intended to describe disorders of Mood, Behavior, and Social relationships arising from a failure to form normal An adaptation is a characteristic of an Organism that has been favored by Natural selection and Ethology ( from Greek ἦθος ethos, "character" and λόγος logos, "knowledge") is the scientific study of Animal The forming of attachments is considered to be the foundation of the infant/childs's capacity to form and conduct relationships throughout life. Attachment is not the same as love and/or affection although they often go together. Attachment and attachment behaviors tend to develop between the age of 6 months and 3 years. Behavior or behaviour (see spelling differences) refers to the actions or Reactions of an object or Organism, usually Infants become attached to adults who are sensitive and responsive in social interactions with the infant, and who remain as consistent caregivers for some time. Attachment in children is a theory of attachment between children and their caregivers specifically addressing the behaviors and emotions that children direct toward familiar adults Social interaction is a dynamic changing sequence of Social actions between individuals (or groups who modify their actions and reactions according to the actions by their Parental responses lead to the development of patterns of attachment which in turn lead to 'internal working models' which will guide the individuals feelings thoughts and expectations in later relationships. ^[11] There are a number of attachment 'styles' namely 'secure', 'anxious-ambivalent', 'anxious-avoidant', (all 'organized') and 'disorganized', some of which are more problematical than others. Attachment in children is a theory of attachment between children and their caregivers specifically addressing the behaviors and emotions that children direct toward familiar adults A lack of attachment or a seriously disrupted capacity for attachment could potentially amount to serious disorders.

Bibliography

References

See also

An infant in a neonatal intensive care unit

External links

• Discovery Health's Parenting Games
• Discovery Health's Infant & Toddler Center
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• CIA FactBook with infant mortality rates in different countries and other health indicators
• The World Health Report 2005 – Make Every Mother and Child
• Your Baby's Eyes. A neonatal intensive care unit, usually shortened NICU (pronounced "Nickyou" and also called a newborn intensive care unit intensive care nursery (ICN and special Attachment in children is a theory of attachment between children and their caregivers specifically addressing the behaviors and emotions that children direct toward familiar adults Babysitting is the practice of temporarily caring for a child on behalf of the child's parents Child development refers to the biological and psychological changes that occur in human beings between birth and the end of Adolescence, as the individual Parenting|Family Child development stages describe the milestones of Child development. Umbilical cord blood up to 180mL of Blood from a newborn baby that is returned to the neonatal circulation if the Umbilical cord is not prematurely clamped A cord blood bank is a facility which stores umbilical Cord blood for future use Elimination communication (EC is a process by which a caregiver uses timing signals cues and intuition to address an infant's excretive needs partially or completely Infanticide is the practice of someone intentionally causing the death of an Infant. The science of infant vision gives a verifiable basis for some practices of Pediatric ophthalmology and gathers measurements intended to describe monitor and predict Jaundice, also known as icterus (attributive adjective "icteric" is yellowish discoloration of the Skin, sclerae (whites of the eyes See also Reproductive health, Women's health Maternal health care is a concept that encompasses Family planning, preconception Prenatal The maternal bond is typically the relationship between a Mother and her child The paternal bond is typically the relationship between a Father and his child Pediatrics (also spelled paediatrics) is the branch of Medicine that deals with the medical care of Infants Children and Adolescents Pregnancy ( Latin graviditas) is the carrying of one or more offspring known as a Fetus or Embryo, inside the Uterus of a Female Safe Haven law, also known in some states as Baby Moses law, is the popular name for United States ' laws that Decriminalize leaving unharmed infants with
• GMA NEWS.TV, video, (Filipino language) Baby born without skull - 01/19/2008