What Is the Function of the Fontanels?
Last Updated Mar 29, 2020 2:41:54 PM ET
The function of fontanels is to allow a baby's brain to grow during the first year of life and for the baby's head to pass through the birth canal. Fontanels are the soft areas between the bones of the skull.
By the time an infant reaches 19 months of age, all fontanels should have ossified. Babies have two fontanels: the anterior and the posterior. The posterior fontanel closes within the first few months of life, while the anterior one closes much later. If the fontanels close too early, the baby's brain cannot grow in that direction and will grow in another direction, causing misshaping of the head.
Doctors can tell if a baby is dehydrated by feeling the fontanels. A sunken fontanel indicates that the child needs fluids.
More From Reference
Will 5G Impact Our Cell Phone Plans (or Our Health?!)
The Secret Science of Solving Crossword Puzzles
Racist Phrases to Remove From Your Mental Lexicon
Is the Coronavirus Crisis Increasing America's Drug Overdoses?
Fact Check: What Power Does the President Really Have Over State Governors?
Festival of Sacrifice: The Past and Present of the Islamic Holiday of Eid al-Adha