Babies are born with about 270 bones, while adults only have 206. As a child grows, many smaller bones, such as those in the skull and spine, fuse together through a process called ossification to form larger, stronger bones.
If you count the bones in a newborn baby and then count them again when they are thirty years old, you will find nearly 100 bones have "disappeared." But don't worry - they didn't get lost; they just joined forces.
Babies need to be flexible. Many of their "bones" are actually made of cartilage - the same flexible stuff in your ears and nose. This flexibility is crucial because it allows the baby to fit through the birth canal and gives their brain room to grow rapidly.
As a child grows, a process called ossification begins.
By the time a person reaches their early 20s, the process is usually complete. The original 270 pieces have combined into a final set of 206 bones. You are technically "less" of a person in terms of bone count, but your skeleton is much stronger and more stable than when you were a baby!
We are born "unassembled." Growth isn't just about getting bigger; it's about merging small parts into a single, sturdy framework that can support an adult body for a lifetime.