Classic Rant #564 (August 22, 2011): Window Pain

Now that the Kim Kardashian/Kris Humphries nuptials are history, we can all rest easier ...

That is, if you have youngsters in your home and you have protected windows.

A study by Journal Pediatrics has found that more than 5,000 children in the U.S. are injured each year in falls from windows, with many of the injuries occurring from falls from the first and second floors of structures.

The youngest children, pre-schoolers, are at the highest risk, which shouldn't surprise anyone, because they just don't have the knowledge to stay away from open windows. They are more apt to suffer head injuries than teenagers who fall from windows. Teenagers, of course, you would assume should know better.

All told, an estimated 98,415 children were hurt from window falls during the study period, which was from 1990 to 2008. Less than 1 percent of these falls led to deaths, but the survey said this probably isn't accurate, because not all children who die from such injuries are brought to the hospital.

You have to wonder about such accidents. New York City requires window guards in apartments with children 10 years old and younger, but you can bet that not all windows with children this age are properly protected.

You can also almost understand toddlers being the greatest victim of such falls, because they are curious and don't understand the circumstances of an open window.

But teenagers? Why are they falling out of windows?

Although I don't see any facts about this in the study, I wonder whether the percentage of falls out of windows by teenagers goes up as they get older. In other words, are there more 19 year olds falling from windows than 13 year olds?

If there are, then you have to say that they are probably alcohol and drug related, and probably some of these falls are due to attempted suicides.

I say this because once you are that age, I would think you would know that you shouldn't be leaning out of open windows enough where you could fall.

At any rate, window guards are probably the best protection, and I guess a window guard might even stop a 19 year old from plunging from a window, whether on purpose or accidentally.

Now, the next thing I would ask is about adults. How many fall out of open windows?

Like teenagers, I guess that brings up questions that are far beyond the scope of such studies.