What term describes the soft spots in a baby's skull where bone has yet to form?

The term that describes the soft spots in a baby's skull where bone has yet to form is "fontanels." In the context of infant development, fontanels are critical as they allow for growth of the baby's brain and skull during the first year of life. Since the skull bones are not fully fused at birth, fontanels provide the flexibility necessary for the baby's head to pass through the birth canal during delivery, as well as to accommodate the rapid growth of the brain in early infancy.

Fontanels are soft, membranous gaps situated between the bony structures of the skull. There are several fontanels, with the most notable being the anterior (or frontal) fontanel, located on the top of the head, and the posterior (or occipital) fontanel, found at the back of the head. They are usually present until the child reaches around 18 months to 2 years of age, when the skull bones gradually fuse together.

The other terms mentioned do not accurately describe these soft spots. Fissures typically refer to deep grooves or narrow openings and are not related to the soft spots in the skull. Sutures are the joints between the bones of the skull where they meet, and while they are adjacent