Skeletal immaturity

Skeletal immaturity refers to the stage when the bones in the body are still developing and have not yet fully matured or fused together. This is typical in children and adolescents, as their bones grow and change during development. It can be identified through medical imaging by observing growth plates—areas of developing tissue near the ends of long bones—that gradually close as a person reaches full adult size. Skeletal immaturity indicates ongoing growth, and its presence can influence medical decisions related to growth, timing of surgeries, or treatment of growth disorders.