The Criterion for Identifying the Distinguishing Child

Is the prayer of a young child valid while he is still a minor?
Yes, as long as he is a distinguishing child, he is not considered to be breaking the prayer. Even a child under the age of seven may be a distinguishing child; because the stronger position is that a distinguishing child is one who understands the address and responds to it, whether he is under the age of seven, exactly seven, or older.