Which statement is true about infant versus adult bone counts?

Which statement is true about infant versus adult bone counts?

• A. Infants have fewer bones than adults
• B. Infants have the same number of bones as adults
• C. Infants have more bones than adults
• D. The number of bones varies by person and cannot be determined

Answer: (C)

Infants start with more bones than adults because many bones are separate at birth and fuse as the skeleton grows. At birth there are about 270 bones, including cartilage and bones that will later join together. As growth proceeds during childhood and adolescence, some of these bones fuse, especially in the skull and long bones, so the typical adult skeleton has about 206 bones (with small variations possible). This fusion explains why the statement about infants having more bones than adults is true: the count decreases as bones fuse during development. The idea that infants have fewer or the same number isn’t accurate given the fusion process that reduces bone count over time.

Infants start with more bones than adults because many bones are separate at birth and fuse as the skeleton grows. At birth there are about 270 bones, including cartilage and bones that will later join together. As growth proceeds during childhood and adolescence, some of these bones fuse, especially in the skull and long bones, so the typical adult skeleton has about 206 bones (with small variations possible). This fusion explains why the statement about infants having more bones than adults is true: the count decreases as bones fuse during development. The idea that infants have fewer or the same number isn’t accurate given the fusion process that reduces bone count over time.