Basic Juvenile Skeletal Anatomy and Growth and Development

Abstract

Timely and accurate assessment of skeletal remains is integral to the progression of medicolegal death investigations, including cases involving child maltreatment. These cases have legal implications that could potentially send the innocent to prison or set the guilty free if the assessment is not made correctly. The skeleton can provide useful information regarding an individual’s health and disease and evidence of trauma. The juvenile skeleton is characterized by nutrition-dependent rapid growth. It differs from the adult skeleton in several ways including anatomy and morphology, physiology, and biomechanics. Since the juvenile skeleton is in a constant state of change, bone morphology will vary depending on the age and phase of development. Integral to investigating child maltreatment is the ability to recognize abnormalities. Since the juvenile skeleton is very different from that of an adult, an investigator who is not well trained in juvenile skeletal anatomy may overlook important evidence or misdiagnose. Therefore, it is essential for researchers investigating the juvenile skeleton to have an understanding of skeletal growth and development and juvenile skeletal anatomy to accurately and efficiently locate and evaluate a set of remains.