Fontanelle

Definition

A fontanelle is a soft spot on a baby's skull where the bones have not yet fused together. These gaps allow for growth of the brain and skull during an infant's first year.

Related terms

Axial Skeleton:

The part of the skeleton that includes the skull, spine, ribs, and sternum.

Sutures:

Fibrous joints between the bones of the skull that eventually fuse as a child grows.

Cranial Bones: The bones that form the protective covering of the brain within the skull