Which term best describes a child younger than one year?

• A. Infant
• B. Under one year
• C. Neonate
• D. Toddler

Answer: (A)

In pediatrics, the first year of life is described with the term infant. This category covers birth through about 12 months, so it includes newborns who are just days or weeks old as well as those approaching one year. A neonate, by contrast, refers specifically to newborns in the very early days to weeks (often up to about 28 days), while a toddler describes a child who is roughly between one and three years old. The phrase “under one year” isn’t a formal clinical label, so it’s less precise than the standard term infant. Therefore, the best description for a child younger than one year is infant.