A nurse is teaching an expectant parent about the differences between the skeletal system of an adult compared to that of a child. Which of the following statements should the nurse include in their teaching?

Pediatric anatomy differs significantly from adult physiology regarding ossification and skeletal structure. Knowledge of bone development, including the transition from cartilage to mineralized bone and the fusion of growth centers, is required to differentiate between newborn and adult skeletal systems. Choice A rationale The cranial plates do not fuse prior to birth; they remain separated by fontanels and sutures to allow for brain growth and passage through the birth canal. The posterior fontanel closes at two months, while the anterior fontanel closes later. Choice B rationale Growth plates, or epiphyseal plates, are areas of active longitudinal bone growth consisting of hyaline cartilage. They do not function to fuse bones together until the end of puberty when they ossify completely, marking the end of physical height increase. Choice C rationale This statement is factually reversed; newborns have approximately 300 bones, many of which are cartilaginous. As the child grows, these structures fuse into the 206 distinct mineralized bones found in the typical adult skeletal system following complete ossification. Choice D rationale Infants have more bones than adults because many skeletal segments have not yet fused. As the child reaches one or two years, several bones begin the process of fusion, resulting in a lower total count compared to birth.