Toddler

The term infant means the phase of life of the people by the age of six. For the first two years of life, the term small child is being used.

Physical development

Size and weight

In the first two years of life, a physical stature of the child ( height and weight), resulting from the development in the womb, to be made up. However, the growth proceeds according to certain laws, which are dependent on birth weight and size, which move the values ​​in a rule in a particular percentile. With the second year of life about four times the birth weight is reached.

Motor activity

During infancy, children learn more complex motor skills. After they usually start up until the end of the 12th month of himself and run, they can go up with railings ( Nachführschritt ), walk backwards and eat with a spoon at the end of the 18th month stairs; the ability to climb stairs in the exchange step is carried out in 3 years. At the age of two years, they can have a ball on the spot with the foot push, without holding, and stringing beads.

Spiritual Development

During the toddler stage, the child social role behavior and the language skills learned.

By 7 months of age the infant is a strong relationship with the caregiver, usually the mother. It was not until the 12th month of life, a distinction between themselves and the environment and the urge to move increases considerably. Simultaneously, the vocabulary, which grows rapidly with 1 to 2 years, is being expanded. It contains the time being the object, then activity and ultimately property names. At the end of the 9th month the children mimic sounds and talk between the 12th and 18th month's first words. First two- word sentences forms the infant at the earliest with 15 to 18 months. However, there are pronounced early starters and just as outspoken late bloomer. " The Late spokesman catch not even one and a half years ago ... during breakfast speaker use already at 10 months, about 12 words. " In the 2nd and 3rd year of life the development of imagination and their own decision-making process is progressing. From about the age of 4, the desire for independence and the orientation to peers increases. The thinking is clear and is operating mainly in the game.

Health

In the infant and toddler stage (especially in the first year of life ) fall several vaccines ( eg against poliomyelitis, diphtheria and tetanus, pertussis ) and medical examinations to prevent and detect failures and to prevent diseases. In Germany these are grouped under child checkup.