Fontanelle

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This is about the human anatomical feature. For the theologian see Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle; for the album by Babes in Toyland, see Fontanelle (album).

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In human anatomy, a fontanelle (or fontanel) is one of two "soft spots" on a newborn human's skull.

The skull of a newborn consists of five main bones: 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.

At birth, the skull features a small posterior fontanelle, an open area covered by a tough membrane, where the two parietal bones adjoin the occipital bone. This fontanelle usually closes during the first several months of an infant's life.

There is also a much larger, diamond-shaped anterior fontanelle where the two frontal and two parietal bones abut. This fontanelle remains open until the child is about two years of age. In cleidocranial dysostosis it is often late in closing or never closes.de:Fontanelle es:Fontanela fr:Fontanelle it:Fontanella (anatomia) he:מרפס nl:Fontanel pl:Ciemiączko