Sutures And Fontanelles Of The Skull
Joints made of strong fibrous tissue cranial sutures hold the bones of your baby s skull together.
Sutures and fontanelles of the skull. Craniosynostosis craniosynostosis is a premature fusion of cranial sutures in infants that may lead to profound changes in craniofacial shape. Suture is an immobile joint between bones of skull. Two frontal bones two parietal bones and one occipital bone these are joined by fibrous sutures which allow movement that facilitates childbirth and brain growth.
The major sutures of the skull include the following. During fetal life and early childhood the skull bones are joined by palpable membrane rather than tight fitting suture because it is relatively easy for skull bone to move and overlaps during birth. These changes are a result of anatomic differences between the calvarial unit and skull base portion of the skull.
The sutures and fontanelles are needed for the infant s brain growth and development. 10 1055 b 0034 87894 sutures and fontanelles. The 2 frontal bone plates meet at the metopic suture.
Growth within the craniofacial skeleton is based on two key concepts. Providers should note whether there is ridging over sutures or skull defects and fontanels should be examined with the infant in both upright and supine positions. The largest fontanel is at the front anterior.
Posterior fontanelle is triangle shaped. Lateral skull joining the temporal bone to the occipital parietal and sphenoid bones on each side. These joints fuse together in adulthood thus permitting brain growth during adolescence.
The sutures remain flexible during infancy allowing the skull to expand as the brain grows. The skull of a baby consists of five main bones. During infancy and childhood the sutures are flexible.