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Did you know that babies are born with more bones than they will have as adults? That's because some of the baby's bones are not yet fused as they will be when they are adults. The difference between the adult skull and the fetal or newborn skull is in both the relative size of the skull, and the presence of the fontanels. These are commonly referred to as the "soft spots." They are areas that have not yet ossified and are made of a fibrous membrane instead of bone. These areas allowed the head of the fetus to fit more easily through the birth canal since the skull, and they allow for growth of the brain. The areas ossify as the baby grows older, completing the process before the age of two.
Anterior Fontanelle: this area is diamond shaped and larger than the posterior
fontanels. It divides the two frontal bones and the two parietal bones. This fontanel closes last.
Posterior Fontanelle: area is triangular, and much smaller than the anterior fontanel. It exists between the two parietal bones and the occipital bone, and closes within the first two months after birth.
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