Which skull feature forms the soft spot between infant skull bones?

Which skull feature forms the soft spot between infant skull bones?

• A. Fontanelle
• B. Suture
• C. Foramen
• D. Fossa

Answer: (A)

Infant skull bones are separated by fibrous membranes that allow growth of the brain and skull. Those soft spots are called fontanelles, the membranous gaps between bones that haven’t yet fused. This is why a fontanelle forms the soft spot you can feel on a baby’s head, and it also explains why the head can mold a bit during birth. A suture is the rigid joint where bones meet, not a soft area; a foramen is a hole for blood vessels and nerves; a fossa is a shallow depression on a bone. The soft spot between infant skull bones is the fontanelle.

Infant skull bones are separated by fibrous membranes that allow growth of the brain and skull. Those soft spots are called fontanelles, the membranous gaps between bones that haven’t yet fused. This is why a fontanelle forms the soft spot you can feel on a baby’s head, and it also explains why the head can mold a bit during birth. A suture is the rigid joint where bones meet, not a soft area; a foramen is a hole for blood vessels and nerves; a fossa is a shallow depression on a bone. The soft spot between infant skull bones is the fontanelle.