Meanings
- uncountablemedicineThe medical finding of a softening or thinning of the skull.
Palpate the scalp firmly above and behind the ears to detect craniotabes, a softening of the outer table of the skull.
2003, Henry M. Seidel, Mosby's Guide to Physical Examination, page 2662 more examples
Dr. Elsässer applies the terms "soft occiput, or craniotabes," to the particular phase of this affection as he observed it, because it attacked the cranial bones, and especially the occipital bone, producing in these changes precisely analogous to those which rickets occasions in other parts of the skeleton.
1852 October 28, E. J. Beylard, “On Rachitis, Fragility of the Bones, and Osteomalacia”, in The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, page 431The greater number of cases of acquired rickets develop in the first half year (often in the first three months), with softness of the occiput which Elsässer has well defined as craniotabes.
1910, Abraham Jacobi, Diseases of Children, page 251
Origin
Cite this entry
craniotabes. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/craniotabes
“craniotabes.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/craniotabes. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “craniotabes,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/craniotabes.
Source: craniotabes on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.