As we work with the youngsters in our programs and become more proficient as observers of these children, we want to be clear in our definitions and terminology of just who young children are. It is important to remember that age labels are arbitrary and do not necessarily tell us where a child is developmentally. Our text continues this discussion by specifically looking at each of these categories. Infants are divided into the subcategories of Newborns and Infants. While a newborn's body systems are in place and ready to function at birth, these systems are immature and the newborn is totally dependent on parents and caregivers for survival.
Motor development is both reflexive and protective.
They have no voluntary control of their bodies at this time. While most of the time they are sleeping, they are still aware of and sensitive to their environment. Crying is the primary method of communication for the infant's needs and emotions. Infants from one to twelve months continue to learn continuously during waking hours as newly acquired skills are used to explore and gather information from the infant's environment. During the first few months, an infant's growth proceeds at a rapid pace.