L4.7.1: Fetal Skull
Cards (9)
- Fontanels – Soft Spots○ Fibrous membranes connecting the cranial bones.○ Fetal cranial bones are not yet secured because sutures are still nonexistent.○ Allow skull compression during birth.○ Allows the brain to grow during the later parts of pregnancy and infancy.○ Ossification occurs around 2 years of age.
- Growth of Cranium○ Obviously related to brain growth.○ 2 years old: Skull is about three-fourths (3⁄4) the size of an adult skull.○ 8 / 9 years old: Skull is near adult in size and proportion.
- Increase in Size of Facial Skeleton○ Between the ages 6 and 11 years old, the face grows out from the skull.○ Follows tooth development and enlargement of the respiratory passageways.○ Cheekbones and nose become more prominent because of the expansion of air passageways.
- Skeletal Changes○ At birth: head and trunk are proportionately much longer than the lower limbs.■ Lower limbs grow more rapidly than the trunk so that by age 10 the trunk and the head are approximately the same height as the lower limbs – Ms. Viv
- Skeletal Changes During Puberty○ Female pelvis broadens■ In preparation for childbirth.○ Male skeleton becomes more robust.■ The human body is so unfair – Aly 2023
- End of Adolescence○ Height becomes fixed because the epiphyseal plates become fully ossified.○ Long bones can no longer elongate as the epiphyseal plates turn into epiphyseal lines.
- Fontanels are fibrous membranes connecting the cranial bones○ Known as “soft spots”○ Allow skull compression during birth○ Allow the brain to grow during later pregnancy and infancy○ Usually ossify by 2 years of age
- Growth of cranium after birth is related to brain growth○ 2 years old - skull is three-fourths the size of adult skull○ 8 or 9 years old - skull is near adult in size and proportion
- Between ages 6 and 11, the face grows out from the skull○ Increase in size of the facial skeleton follows tooth development and enlargement of the respiratory passageways