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Skull sutures in infants and fetuses

Illustration copyright 2002 by Nucleus Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.nucleusinc.com

The skull consists of 5 thin, curved, bony plates that are held together by fibrous material called sutures. These sutures allow a baby's skull to expand with the growing brain. The sutures gradually harden to join the skull bones together. The spaces where sutures meet are called soft spots or fontanelles.

Primary Medical Reviewer Michael J. Sexton, MD
- Pediatrics
Specialist Medical Reviewer Mark G. Luciano, MD
- Neurological Surgery
Last Updated February 6, 2008

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: February 06, 2008
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