Fontanelle

From Freepedia

This is about the human anatomical feature. For the album by Babes in Toyland, see Fontanelle (album).

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In human anatomy, a fontanelle (or fontanel) is one of two "soft spots" on a newborn human's skull.

The skull of a newborn consists of five main bones: two frontal bones, two parietal bones, and one occipital bone. These are joined by fibrous "sutures" which allow movement that facilitates childbirth and brain growth.

At birth, the skull features a small posterior fontanelle, an open area covered by a tough membrane, where the two parietal bones adjoin the occipital bone. This fontanelle usually closes during the first several months of an infant's life.

There is also a much larger, diamond-shaped anterior fontanelle where the two frontal and two parietal bones abut. This fontanelle remains open until the child is about two years of age.