A child is typically born with 33 vertebrae. These vertebrae eventually fuse together as the child grows.
Here's a breakdown:
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Initial Number: Newborns possess approximately 33 individual vertebrae.
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Fusion: Over time, some of these vertebrae, specifically those in the sacrum and coccyx (tailbone), fuse together.
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Adult Number: This fusion process results in the adult spine consisting of 24 vertebrae (7 cervical, 12 thoracic, and 5 lumbar), plus the sacrum (5 fused) and the coccyx (4 fused).
Essentially, a child has more individual vertebral bones than an adult because the sacral and coccygeal vertebrae haven't yet fused. These unfused bones allow for more flexibility during development.
