The posterior fontanelle (lambdoid fontanelle, occipital fontanelle) is a gap between bones in the human skull (known as
fontanelle
A fontanelle (or fontanel) (colloquially, soft spot) is an anatomical feature of the infant human skull comprising soft membranous gaps ( sutures) between the cranial bones that make up the calvaria of a fetus or an infant. Fontanelles allo ...
), triangular in form and situated at the junction of the
sagittal suture and
lambdoidal suture. It generally closes in 6–8 weeks from birth. The cranial point in adults corresponding the fontanelle is called 'lambda' A delay in closure is associated with congenital
hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism (also called ''underactive thyroid'', ''low thyroid'' or ''hypothyreosis'') is a disorder of the endocrine system in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. It can cause a number of symptoms, such as ...
.
See also
*
Lambda (anatomy)
References
Skull
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