Fontanelle

This is about the human anatomical feature. For the theologian see Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle; for the albumby Babes in Toyland, see Fontanelle (album).

In human anatomy, a fontanelle (or fontanel) is one of two "soft spots" on a newbornhuman'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 childbirthand braingrowth.

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.de:Fontanelle fr:Fontanelle it:Fontanella (anatomia) nl:Fontanel pl:Ciemi?czko

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fontanelle Wikipedia article Fontanelle.