Question: How do are bodies change from babies to adults

Lucy Budge answered on 18 Jun 2019:

Ooh so much happens! This isn’t something I’ve studied since I was about 16 but I’ll say as much as I can!

So babies are born with really soft bones, and around 300 of them. As you grow (and generally by the time you are about 25) these bones fuse together (until you have 206) and harden. In particular I think there are two really soft spots on a babies skull when they are first born.

Aside from your bones (and just general growth!) your muscles will strengthen up, when you are first born you can’t hold your head up and it’s only once neck muscles have strengthened that you’ll be able to keep your head up!

There are many other ways too – going through puberty as a teenager is a big one!

But in general a baby is just a tiny body, with almost everything fully formed and in place, just small. This is the same for mammals and many other animals, however something like a frog (going from tadpole to adult frog) has a big change in their bodies!