Infant/Child Care: Understanding the Development of an Infant or a Child

Anxiety and excitement quickly fill the room. At last, nearly ages of waiting draw rapidly to a close. Everyone continues to wait more than patiently for whatever the next moment will bring. This anticipated event will change many lives forever. What is everyone waiting on? Is it a proposal or the announcement of a promotion? These do fill people with anxiety and excitement, but the described event is actually the birth of a child. Two people will soon embark on a journey of cheers and tears as they tackle the responsibilities of parenthood. During infancy, the period from birth until the child reaches age two, parents and babies become well acquainted with one another, allowing the new family to discover a completely different lifestyle together. Although life with a new baby seems carefree and fun filled, all parents must learn how to monitor the development of, care for, and communicate with their infants.

The development of a child qualifies as one of the wonders of the world. Contrary to older beliefs, infants' minds are not a blank slate, and they do not have to build up their intelligence. Instead, they have the ability to make decisions, develop interests in things, and react in special ways to their environment. An infant's body functions are analogous to an adult with a box of unknown tools. Each tool represents a body function discovered only through experimentation. Infants must experiment with their body parts to determine the functions. This experimentation becomes vital to their development.