Is one a sub group of the other? Does either term include toddlers?

I’m having this discussion with someone and we both thought the opposite from eachother and we were quite sure our way of thinking was the common understanding.

  • chetradley@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    The definition I’ve heard the most is: newborn (0-3 mo.), infant (3-12ish mo, toddler (from the time they start walking to between about 2-3 years). Technically, any of them could be considered a baby.

    “Toddler” describes the action of toddling, or walking in an uncoordinated way.

  • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppet@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Infants and babies are the same. Some people will continue calling their child a baby long after it is no longer a baby though. I have never seen someone continue to call their child an infant. So of the two, infant is more precise. A baby or infant will progress to become a toddler.

  • comfyquaker@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    i don’t know the specifics, but i feel they’re just synonyms and they share the same age range they’d represent. in terms of subgroup, id say infant is a subgroup of child based on what i hear and say. Like i wouldn’t say i have an infant baby id just say baby. Or i don’t have a baby child, i have an infant child. 🤷‍♂️

  • irotsoma@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    There’s not a specific difference in most cases. But generally infant can be used outside of humans whereas baby is specifically a human child. And in some professional and scientific jargon infant is used to describe a specific phase of life.