Babies have around 100 more bones than adults

Babies have around 100 more bones than adults.

When it comes to bones, babies have an interesting advantage over adults - they have around 100 more bones! Yes, it’s true. You might be wondering how can someone have more bones as a baby and then lose them as they grow older. Well, let’s dive into the fascinating world of bone development to understand this phenomenon.

As a newborn, a baby’s skeleton is much more flexible and malleable compared to that of an adult. It consists of approximately 300 bones, while adults have only 206. This difference arises because some of these bones fuse together during growth and development.

Babies are born with numerous cartilaginous areas, also known as growth plates, between their bones. These growth plates allow for growth and development throughout infancy and childhood. As the baby grows older, these growth plates gradually harden and fuse, forming a single bone. Hence, the total bone count decreases as the infant grows into adulthood.

Bone fusion occurs as part of human development. At birth, the skeleton needs to be more flexible to accommodate the birthing process. Over time, the fusion of bones provides stability and strength necessary for upright movement. It is a natural and essential process that allows babies to transition into capable adults.

Interestingly, the fusion process does not occur all at once. The human skeleton reaches its full maturity around the age of 25, indicating the completion of bone fusion. By this age, most bones have fused together, leaving us with the 206 bones we commonly associate with the adult human body.

In conclusion, babies have approximately 100 more bones than adults due to the presence of growth plates and the gradual fusion of bones during the development process. This distinct feature allows babies to have greater flexibility, adaptability, and overall growth potential. So, the next time you see a newborn baby, think about their incredible journey of bone formation and fusion, shaping them into the adults they will become.

Source: https://www.scienceabc.com/humans/why-do-babies-have-more-bones-than-adults.html