Anatomical features of children. Human skeleton with the name of bones and muscles, for a child The skeleton of a newborn is formed by which tissue

Any doctor will tell you that a baby's body is significantly different from an adult: it has its own, inherent only to it, diseases, and its own principles of work - physiological characteristics. Knowing these features is very important for parents, because many of the nuances of caring for a baby depend on them. We will talk about the special “device” of the newborn in this section.

The human skeletal system forms a solid framework that serves as a receptacle for internal organs and the brain, a support for muscles and the nervous system. It is involved in maintaining the mineral composition of the blood, as well as in the processes of hematopoiesis due to the red bone marrow contained in the bones. That is why the formation of the skeletal system of a newborn baby deserves special attention.

Where does it all start?

The laying of the skeleton begins from the first days of intrauterine development of the fetus. From the second day after fertilization, a group of cells (ectoderm) is formed, which will later become the basis for the development of bone tissue and the skeleton itself. This development occurs rapidly: bone mass increases day by day, consuming a fairly large amount of calcium from the reserves of the mother's body.

By the time the prenatal period of a person's life is completed, the skeletal system has been largely formed, but at the same time it has a number of features.

Almost all bones go through the cartilaginous stage of development. They are formed from connective tissue, which gradually transforms into cartilage tissue. The bones of the skull and collarbone bypass this stage. The rest of the bones by the end of the period of intrauterine development have the so-called ossification nuclei. These points will later become areas of bone growth.

The facial bones and bones of the cranial vault have a dense structure already at the time of birth (subject to the maturity of the newborn). But if the bones of the face are firmly connected to each other, then the bones of the cranial vault have slit-like seams, consisting of connective tissue, and fontanelles (rhomboid large and triangular small). Due to the presence of these fontanelles and sutures, the growth of the skull bones is carried out in the first year of a child's life. By their size, one can indirectly judge the degree of maturity of the newborn (the more mature the child is, the denser the bones of the skull) and the state of his nervous system.

Bones are composed of inorganic substances: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and in much smaller quantities of aluminum, fluorine, selenium, zinc, copper. All of them are necessary for the normal development of the fetal skeleton, therefore the diet of the expectant mother should contain these trace elements.

How is the skeleton of a newborn "made"?

Some features of the structure of the skeletal system remain in the baby during the first month of life; they allow you to avoid excessive stress during labor. In particular, the bones of the fetus contain much less dense substances and more fluid than in older age. This is necessary to maintain the necessary elasticity and resilience of the skeleton, which, when passing through the birth canal of the mother, is subjected to deforming effects. During childbirth, the largest part of the fetus's body - the head - takes the shape of the mother's birth canal due to the presence of connective tissue sutures and fontanelles, which allow the bones of the skull to find one another: this prevents damage to both the bones of the skull and the brain. The rib cage changes its shape due to the elasticity of the ribs. In addition, the elasticity and softness of bone tissue are necessary to ensure that colossal growth rate that is observed throughout the first year of a child's life.

Another important feature of the skeleton of a newborn is that its spine does not have the usual adult bends that provide shock absorption. The formation of the spinal curves begins at the age of two or three months, when the child begins to hold the head in an upright position. By this age, the cervical region undergoes a number of changes, during which the angle between the vertebral processes changes and the vertical position of the head becomes possible. But even after that, it is important to remember that the head is not held very reliably yet: the child can periodically "drop" it. Therefore, it is advisable to keep the baby's neck and head upright for up to three months.

Between the sixth and seventh months of life, the child begins to form a second bend of the spine - the thoracic. Since the formation of the curves of the spine and the strengthening of the muscles of the trunk run in parallel, the baby begins to sit down on its own by the time when both his skeleton and his muscular system are ready for this. If you start to plant the child before this moment, his spine, not yet having physiological bends, is bent, which later becomes habitual. By the time you start walking, the last, lumbar, bend of the spine is formed.

The ribcage of a newborn is cone-shaped, as opposed to an adult's ribcage, which is cylindrical. The ribs of a newborn, like the rest of the tubular bones, are soft, elastic and are located almost horizontally. The intercostal muscles, which together with the diaphragm (muscle formation separating the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity), provide respiratory movements, are still weak. The fact that the ribs are horizontal, the intercostal muscles are not developed, and breathing is carried out mainly due to the diaphragm, makes breathing shallow and frequent, and this, in turn, is one of the prerequisites for the occurrence of respiratory diseases.

For bones to form correctly ...

Especially high requirements are imposed on the skeletal system of a small person: the baby grows very quickly, the bone mass increases rapidly. Adequate calcium intake is required to support such a high rate of bone growth in a newborn baby. The main source of calcium is breast milk or milk substitutes. Entering the intestines, milk is broken down, and calcium is released, for the absorption of which certain conditions must be met: firstly, vitamin D contributes to the normal absorption of calcium in the intestines, and secondly, a healthy intestinal microflora. In addition to ensuring the absorption of calcium, vitamin D contributes to its distribution in the body, which contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system and internal organs.

Vitamin D is produced in human skin by exposure to sunlight. Also, that vitamin can enter the body with certain food products (fish oil, dairy products, egg yolk). If the child's body is deficient in vitamin D, then there is a violation of the absorption of calcium in the intestine and, as a result, a violation of the exchange of calcium and phosphorus. This condition becomes the reason for the development of one of the most "childhood" diseases - rickets, manifested in the violation of the formation of bone tissue. With this disease, bones soften and deform.

The risk of developing rickets increases during the time of the year when the amount of sun exposure to the baby's skin decreases. This is especially true of the polar regions, where there is no sun at all for six months. Therefore, to maintain the concentration of calcium in the blood at the proper level during the autumn-winter and spring months, it is necessary to prevent rickets with vitamin D. In addition to vitamin D, vitamin A is necessary for the normal development of bones (with its lack, the vessels supplying the periosteum suffer, as a result of which the bone stops growing) and vitamin C (with its lack, bone formation is impaired). To maintain the normal development of the skeletal system of the newborn, the correct daily routine is equally important. At any time of the year and in any weather, the baby needs walks in the fresh air, at least for 1.5 - 2 hours daily. The room in which the newborn sleeps should be sufficiently bright and well ventilated. It is very important from the first month of a child's life to accustom him to air baths and general strengthening gymnastics - these are both effective hardening measures and measures that help to improve metabolic processes in the body, and therefore improve the development of the skeletal system. I would especially like to say about laying out the child on the tummy during air baths. Being in this position, the baby strains the muscles of the back of the back, which has a positive effect on blood circulation in the cervical spine and helps to strengthen it.

For prophylactic purposes, vitamin D is prescribed according to two schemes. The first is a daily intake of 500 IU of vitamin D (as a rule, this corresponds to 1 drop of an aqueous solution of vitamin D3) or a single dose of a course dose, which is prescribed once every six months. Vitamin D should be taken according to the scheme prescribed by the pediatrician. But the general rules of admission include systematicity and regularity. Vitamin D3 should be given to the baby in a small amount of water (about 1 teaspoon) from three weeks of life to three years of age, constantly, with the exception of the summer months (May, June, July and August).

All these factors, in combination with the intake of vitamin D, contribute to the prevention of rickets, and, consequently, to the full development of the skeleton of the newborn.

If abnormalities in the formation of the baby's skeletal system are detected in time during pregnancy, this can be safely corrected in most cases.

How does the skeleton start?

The skeleton begins to form almost from the first days of conception. A few days after fertilization, when the egg is already actively developing, ectoderm begins to be produced in it - a substance from which the baby's bones will form in the future.

Skeleton formation by trimester

IN firsttrimester, the skeleton is developing very actively. Already in the fifth week of the term, the vertebral arch is formed in the baby. On the sixth, you can already distinguish future arms, legs and the head of the crumbs.

In the period from the fifth to the ninth week of the term, the foundations of the spine and limbs are formed. The hip, knee, elbow joints are formed.

By the end of the first trimester, fingers are already beginning to form, and jaw bones, eyes, ears, and a nose appear on the skull.

In secondtrimester development continues: arms and legs lengthen, marigolds appear on the fingers. By the end of the trimester, the baby moves his limbs, his skeletal system is almost ready for the process of the baby's birth.

During thirdtrimester, the baby has a skeleton, the head looks proportional, but the bones are still softer than that of an adult. The bones of the skull have not yet grown together; between them there is connective tissue - fontanelles. This is necessary so that the baby can go head first along the birth canal without injury.

What is needed for the correct formation of the skeletal system?

In order for the baby's skeletal system to form correctly, the expectant mother must eat right, the diet must contain foods containing calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.

The expectant mom should give up bad habits, maintain physical activity, and walk in the fresh air.

Fetal bone size helps diagnose congenital diseases

Thanks to the data obtained during routine examinations, namely ultrasound diagnostics, it is possible to detect congenital diseases in the baby, changes in the structure of the skeleton.

In particular, the absence of the nasal bone at the eleventh to twelfth week indicates Down syndrome.

What if the child is not developing properly?

Timely detected deviations in the formation of the baby's skeleton can be corrected using:

• adjustments to mom's nutrition;
• prescribing vitamin complexes to her;
• physical activity;
• cessation of alcohol and smoking.

The laying of the skeleton occurs at the 3rd week of embryonic development: initially as a connective tissue formation, and in the middle of the 2nd month of development, it is replaced with cartilage, after which the gradual destruction of cartilage begins and the formation of bone tissue instead. Ossification of the skeleton is not completed by the time of birth, therefore, a newborn child contains a lot of cartilage tissue in the skeleton.

Bone tissue itself is significantly different in chemical composition from that of an adult. It contains many organic substances, it does not have strength and is easily bent under the influence of unfavorable external influences.

Young bones grow in length due to cartilage located between their ends and the body. By the time bone growth ends, cartilage is replaced by bone tissue. During the period of growth, the amount of water in the bones of the child decreases, and the amount of minerals increases. At the same time, the content of organic matter decreases. The development of the skeleton in men ends by the age of 20-24. At the same time, the growth of bones in length stops, and their cartilaginous parts are replaced by bone tissue. The development of the skeleton in women ends by 18-21 years.

The vertebral column. The growth of the spinal column occurs most intensively in the first 2 years of life. During the first one and a half years of life, the growth of various parts of the spine is relatively uniform. Starting from 1.5 to 3 years, the growth of the cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae slows down and the growth of the lumbar spine begins to increase faster, which is typical for the entire period of growth of the spine. An increase in the growth rate of the spine is noted at the age of 7-9 years and during puberty, after which the increase in the growth of the spine is very small.

The structure of the tissues of the spinal column changes significantly with age. Ossification, which begins in the prenatal period, continues throughout childhood. Until the age of 14, only the middle parts of the vertebrae ossify. During puberty, new ossification points appear in the form of plates, which merge with the vertebral body after 20 years. The process of ossification of individual vertebrae ends with the end of growth processes - by the age of 21-23.

The curvature of the spine is formed during the individual development of the child. At a very early age, when the child begins to hold his head, a cervical bend appears with a bulge forward (lordosis). By the age of 6 months, when the baby begins to sit, a thoracic bend with a back bulge (kyphosis) forms. When the child begins to stand and walk, lumbar lordosis develops.

By the year there are already all the bends of the spine. But the resulting bends are not fixed and disappear when the muscles relax. By the age of 7, there are already clearly defined cervical and thoracic bends, fixation of the lumbar bend occurs later - at 12-14 years. Violations of the curvature of the spinal column, which can occur as a result of improper seating of the child at the table and desk, lead to adverse consequences in his health.

Rib cage. The shape of the chest changes significantly with age. In infancy, it seems to be compressed from the sides, its anteroposterior size is larger than the transverse one (conical shape). In an adult, the transverse dimension prevails. During the first year of life, the angle of the ribs in relation to the spine gradually decreases. According to the change in the chest, the volume of the lungs increases. Changing the position of the ribs increases the movement of the chest and allows for more efficient breathing. The conical shape of the chest lasts up to 3-4 years. By the age of 6, the relative values \u200b\u200bof the upper and lower parts of the chest characteristic of an adult are established, the slope of the ribs sharply increases. By the age of 12-13, the chest takes on the same shape as in an adult. The shape of the chest is influenced by exercise and sitting.

Limb skeleton. The clavicles are stable bones that change little during ontogeny. The scapula ossify in postnatal ontogenesis after 16-18 years. Ossification of free limbs begins in early childhood and ends at the age of 18-20, and sometimes even later.

The wrist bones in a newborn are only outlined and become clearly visible by the age of 7. From 10-12 years old, there are gender differences in ossification processes. For boys, they are 1 year late. Ossification of the phalanges of the fingers is completed by the age of 11, and the wrists at the age of 12. Moderate and approachable movements promote hand development. Playing musical instruments from an early age delays the process of ossification of the phalanges of the fingers, which leads to their lengthening ("musician's fingers").

In a newborn, each pelvic bone consists of three bones (ilium, pubic and sciatic), the fusion of which begins at the age of 5-6 and ends by the age of 17-18. In adolescence, the sacral vertebrae gradually grow together into a single bone - the sacrum. After 9 years, there are differences in the shape of the pelvis in boys and girls: in boys, the pelvis is taller and narrower than in girls.

The human foot forms a vault that rests on the heel bone and on the front ends of the metatarsal bones. The arch acts like a spring, softening the body's tremors when walking. In a newborn child, the arch of the foot is not expressed; it forms later, when the child begins to walk.

Skull. In a newborn, the cranial bones are connected to each other by a soft connective tissue membrane. These are fontanelles. The fontanelles are located at the corners of both parietal bones; distinguish between unpaired frontal and occipital and paired anterior lateral and posterior lateral fontanelles. Thanks to the fontanelles, the bones of the roof of the skull can go over each other with their edges. This is of great importance when the head of the fetus passes through the birth canal. Small fontanelles overgrow by 2-3 months, and the largest - the frontal - is easily palpable and overgrown only by one and a half years. In children at an early age, the cerebral part of the skull is more developed than the facial one. The bones of the skull grow most strongly during the first year of life. With age, especially from 13-14 years old, the facial region grows more vigorously and begins to prevail over the brain. In a newborn, the volume of the cerebral section of the skull is 6 times greater than the facial one, and in an adult it is 2-2.5 times.

Head growth is observed at all stages of a child's development; it occurs most intensively during puberty. The relationship between head height and height changes significantly with age. This ratio is used as one of the standard indicators characterizing the child's age.

Muscular system development

Muscular development begins at the 3rd week. Almost all striated muscles begin with myotomes. In a 4-week-old embryo, myotomes consist of mononuclear rounded cells, later - of spindle-shaped cells, myoblasts. They multiply intensively and migrate to the adjacent areas, including the rudiments of the limbs. At the age of 5 weeks, the synthesis of muscle proteins - myosin, actin, etc., begins in myoblasts, from which contractile filaments - myofilaments are formed.

At 5-10 weeks, multinucleated myotubes are formed. The formation of myofilaments is enhanced in them, and then myofibrils. Later (20 weeks) the myotubes turn into muscle fibers. Myofibrils fill their internal space, and the nuclei are pushed back under the sarcolemma. The contraction is recorded after the formation of myofibrils (5 weeks) and is clearly manifested at 10-15 weeks. Muscle contraction during this period contributes to the correct formation of the skeleton. The motor activity of the fetus is manifested either in short-term jerks or in powerful extension movements involving all muscle groups in the work.

The development of muscle fibers does not occur simultaneously. In the fetus, muscle fibers are primarily formed in the tongue, lips, diaphragm, intercostal and back muscles. In the limbs, fibers develop later, first in the muscles of the arms, then the legs. In this way, muscles are first formed that are more needed for important functions.

The most intense muscle growth occurs in 1-2 years. The increase in length is due to the growth points at the ends of the fibers adjacent to the tendons. The growth of muscles in thickness occurs due to an increase in the number of myofibrils in the muscle cell: if a newborn in a muscle cell contains from 50 to 150, then in a 7-year-old child from 1000 to 3000. The number of cells increases during the first 4 months after birth, and then does not change. At the age of 12-15, another transformation of the muscle structure occurs. Muscle cells adhere very tightly to each other, lose their round shape and look flattened in cross section.

As a child develops, individual muscle groups grow unevenly. In infants, first of all, the abdominal muscles develop, and later the chewing muscles. By the end of the first year of life, in connection with crawling and the beginning of walking, the muscles of the back and limbs noticeably grow. Over the entire period of the child's growth, the muscle mass increases 35 times. During puberty (12-16 years), along with the lengthening of the tubular bones, the muscle tendons are also lengthened. Muscles at this time become long and thin, and adolescents look long-legged and long-armed. At the age of 15-18, further growth of the muscle diameter continues. Muscle development continues until the age of 25-30. The muscles of a child are paler, softer and more elastic than the muscles of an adult.

Muscle tone. During the neonatal period and in the first months of life of children, the tone of skeletal muscles is increased. This is due to increased excitability of the red nucleus of the midbrain. As the influences coming from the structures of the brain through the pyramidal system and regulating the functional activity of the spinal cord increase, muscle tone decreases. A decrease in tone is noted in the second half of a child's life, which is a prerequisite for the development of walking. Muscle tone plays an important role in the coordination of movements.

Muscle strength... The increase in muscle mass and the structural transformation of muscle fibers with age leads to an increase in muscle strength. In preschool age, muscle strength is negligible. After 4-5 years, the strength of individual muscle groups increases. Schoolchildren of 7-11 years old still have relatively low indicators of muscle strength. Strength and especially static exercises cause them to fatigue quickly. Children of this age are more adapted to short-term speed-strength dynamic exercises.

The most intense muscle strength increases during adolescence. In boys, the increase in strength begins at 13-14 years old, in girls earlier - from 10-12 years old, which may be due to the earlier onset of puberty in girls. At the age of 13-14, sex differences in muscle strength are clearly manifested, the indicators of the relative strength of the girls' muscles are significantly inferior to the corresponding indicators of boys. Therefore, in classes with teenage girls and girls, the intensity and severity of the exercises should be especially strictly dosed. From the age of 18, the growth of strength slows down and ends by the age of 25-26. It was found that the rate of muscle strength recovery in adolescents and adults is almost the same: in 14-year-olds - 97.5%, in 16-year-olds and in adults - 98.9% of the initial values.

The development of the strength of different muscle groups is uneven. The strength of the muscles that carry out the extension of the trunk reaches a maximum at the age of 16. The maximum strength of the extensors and flexors of the upper and lower extremities is noted in 20-30 years.

Speed, precision of movement and endurance.The speed of movement is characterized by both the speed of a single movement and the frequency of repetitive movements. The speed of single movements increases in primary school age, approaching at 13-14 years old to the level of an adult. By the age of 16-17, the rate of increase in this indicator slightly decreases. By the age of 20-30, the speed of a single movement reaches its highest value. This is due to an increase in the speed of signal conduction in the nervous system and the speed of the process of transmission of excitation in the neuromuscular synapse.

The maximum frequency of repetitive movements increases with age. The most intensive growth of this indicator occurs at primary school age. In the period from 7 to 9 years, the average annual increase is 0.3-0.6 movements per second. At 10-11 years old, the growth rate decreases to 0.1-0.2 movements per second and increases again (up to 0.3-0.4 movements per second) at 12-13 years old. The frequency of movements per unit time in boys reaches high rates at the age of 15, after which the annual increase decreases. In girls, this indicator reaches its maximum values \u200b\u200bat the age of 14 and does not change further. The increase with age in the maximum frequency of movements is explained by the increasing mobility of nervous processes, which ensures a faster transition of antagonist muscles from a state of excitement to a state of inhibition and back.

The fidelity of movement reproduction also changes significantly with age. Preschoolers 4-5 years old cannot make fine precise movements that reproduce a given program. At primary school age, the ability to accurately reproduce movements according to a given program increases significantly. From 9-10 years old, the organization of precise movements is like an adult. In improving this motor quality, an essential role is played by the formation of the central mechanisms of the organization of voluntary movements associated with the activity of the higher divisions of the central nervous system.

Over a long period of ontogenesis, endurance is also formed (a person's ability to perform a certain type of mental or physical activity for a long time without reducing their effectiveness). Endurance for dynamic work is still very low at 7-11 years old. From 11-12 years old, boys and girls become more resilient. Walking, running slowly, and skiing are good means of developing endurance. By the age of 14, muscular endurance is 50-70%, and by the age of 16 - about 80% of an adult's endurance.

Static stress endurance increases especially rapidly in the period from 8 to 17 years. Its most significant changes are noted in the primary school age. In 11-14-year-old schoolchildren, the calf muscles are the most resilient. In general, endurance by the age of 17-19 is 85% of the adult level, and it reaches its maximum values \u200b\u200bby the age of 25-30.

The rates of development of many motor qualities are especially high in primary school age, which, given the interest of children in physical education and sports, gives grounds to purposefully develop motor activity at this age.

An easy way to learn the structure of the human body is to play the game "Assemble the skeleton" with the little ones. Focusing on the age of the child, you can complicate / simplify the rules of the game, choose the appropriate picture. We share a simple idea of \u200b\u200bcreating a game with your own hands.

ru.wikipedia.org

Find a suitable picture on the Internet and print it on a printer. Cut out the individual elements and stick to cardboard (for strength). If you wish, you can paste over the parts with tape on both sides.

allfortheboys.com

When everything is ready, tell the kid what "parts" our skeleton consists of. All bones can be conditionally grouped as follows:
- head bones (skull);
- bones of the trunk (vertebral column, chest);
- bones of the upper limbs (shoulder, forearm, hand);
- bones of the lower extremities (pelvis, thigh, lower leg, foot).

If this information seems a little to your curious why, study the skeleton in more detail, tell us about the functions of each group of bones. Ask your child to move around and observe the work of a particular part of the body.

The adult skeleton consists of 200-218 bones.

allfortheboys.com

Game options

There can be many options for the game:

• Just put the "little man" like a puzzle.
• Hide the details in rice or any other cereal and give the child the opportunity to arrange the most real "excavations". Imagine with what passion the young paleontologist will collect the skeleton of an ancient man. You can make up any story and dig up even Darwin himself.
• Play for speed. For this, you need several printouts (according to the number of players). The sequence of moves is determined by a die. For example, the one who has the most drops on the bones, he walks. Or, whoever rolled a double on both dice, he has the right to attach one part of the skeleton.
• Play for luck. 2 sets were printed and cut out not along the contour, but in simple rectangles. Flip the cards over and pull them out of the deck. In the process, you can change "spare parts". The winner is the one who quickly assembles his little man. You can make up the rules yourself - it's even more interesting.

Skeleton made of cotton swabs

The skeleton is an especially important part of the full, healthy functioning of the human body. Thanks to the bones, the body is always in shape and the right position. Bones also form the skeleton, which in turn also performs the protective function of internal organs and systems from external influences. All this applies to both adults and children from the womb.

Formation of the fetal skeleton

More than 70% of the bones are made of very strong bone tissue, which contains many minerals. The main ones include: magnesium, phosphorus and calcium. Necessary for the full formation of the fetal skeleton and other elements: zinc, copper, aluminum and fluorine. The fetus receives these and other substances through the placenta from the mother's body. Therefore, it is extremely important for pregnant women to eat well and to eat well. Starting from the fifth week of pregnancy, the foundations of cartilage are laid in the fetus - the future bones of the spine and shoulder girdle. The outlines of the pelvic girdle also appear. The fetus, which is already 9 weeks old, has developed fingers and jaw bones. Many people know that a newborn baby has more bones than an adult. This is due to the fact that in the future, the cartilage will grow together, forming one bone. The complete completion of the formation of the skeleton will occur at the age of 24.

How many bones does a child have?

Many parents are convinced from their own experience that a child's bones are more likely to bend than injured. Not considering, of course, serious damage. Very often newborns fall out of bed or sofa, while "pah-pah" everything is fine. All this is because cartilage predominates in their skeleton, which will further strengthen and become bones. So how many bones does a child have? A newborn man has 300 fragile bones in his little body. And only by the age of 24-25 206 strong, strong bones will be formed from them.

This process takes place due to the intake of calcium and other necessary substances into the body.

Bone injury in a child

How many bones are in the body of a small child is clear, now about their injuries. To the great delight of parents, childhood injuries recover quickly.

All due to the fact that there are cells in the child's body that are responsible for the structure of bone tissue. And if it happens that the child is injured, these cells fall on the injured area. Thus, even a fracture will heal much faster in a child than in an adult. Childhood trauma will go away after 2-4 weeks, adult trauma - 6-8. How many bones are in the body of a child, all young mothers need to know and not only. This will allow you to be more educated in this area and provide the necessary assistance to the child in case of injury.

Difference between the bone of an elderly person and a child

How many bones are in the skeleton of a child, we figured it out. Now, many anxious question: "What is the difference in the skeleton of an elderly person and a child?" Bones in children are much thinner than in adults, including the elderly. Thanks to this, the child's motor apparatus is much more mobile and elastic. Closer to a 12-13-year-old child, they are almost completely similar to adults. However, cartilage is still found in some places. During adulthood and closer to old age, the relief of the cranial bones is noticeably smoothed out.

Also, with the loss of teeth, the weight of the skull decreases, which can provoke an irregular bite and cause facial asymmetry.

The most pronounced changes in the structure of the skeleton with age occur in the spine. After 40-50 years, this part of the skeleton becomes more compressed and slightly shorter than it was before. This is due to the fact that the intervertebral discs and vertebrae are tighter to each other. After 60 years, the growth of bone tissue begins, and thorn-like formations appear on the body.

So, the main differences between the skeleton of an elderly and a small person:

1. The main and first difference is, of course, the quantity. How many bones do a young child and an elderly person have? Child - 300 bones, adult - 206.
2. The bone tissue of a child is rich in spongy substance than the bone of an elderly person.
3. Mobility is also an important difference. The skeleton of a child is more active and elastic, which cannot be said about the skeleton of the elderly.
4. With age, tissue changes, which leads to weakening of the bones of the skeleton. A noticeable decrease in calcium and fluoride in the body first of all makes itself felt.