As incredible as it may seem, an adult has fewer bones than an infant. What happens next? Here we are on a bone!
Are we really losing our bones?
At birth, a baby is born with around 300 soft bones. In adulthood, there are only 206. This decrease is explained by the bond that occurs during growth between certain bones of the skull, pelvis, spine, and coccyx. For example, the last 4 vertebrae weld together to form the coccyx. Therefore, we do not lose bones, they weld together!
Fontanelles
These are the hollow spaces between the skull bones in young children.
Why this evolution after birth?
The best example is that of the bones of the skull of babies, which at birth are not yet welded. Indeed, to get out of the mother’s womb, the baby must be able to squeeze through the narrow passage formed by the mother’s pelvis. The skull will be able to deform a little to engage in the passage to the outside. Likewise, the child’s brain will grow during the first two years of life. The bones of the skull will, therefore, move apart a little to allow the brain to grow in a larger space.
