Home > Encyclopedia of Children's Health > Skeletal Development

Definition

Skeletal development refers to the development of the human skeletal system from the early days of pregnancy until the bones have reached full development in late puberty.

Description

The early development of the skeletal system begins in the third week after conception with the formation of the notochord (a rod-like structure along the back of the embryo that later becomes the spine, spinal cord, and brain), followed in the fourth week by the first signs of arms and legs. Between the fifth and eighth weeks, the limbs (first the arms, hands, and fingers, followed by the legs, feet, and toes) begin to extend and take on a definite shape.

By the end of the fifth week, the embryo has doubled in...