title: Kite flying: ancient tradition or death trap?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Kite flying has been popular in India since ancient times, especially during harvest festivals of Lohri, Basant and Makar Sankranti. It often takes form of a competitive sport and in recent times has been associated with multiple, sometimes fatal injuries. This prognostic study was conducted to try and understand the epidemiology and factors associated with kite flying injuries in the state of Punjab, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case reports of patients who presented to the ED with trauma as a result of kite flying were reviewed. The study included patients reporting to the Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, between January 2005 and January 2010. Details of the type and mode of injury, and outcomes were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The highest incidence of injuries occurred during months of the kite flying festivals. The most common mode of injury was fall from heights, associated with traumatic brain injury. The mortality rate in this series was 6.25%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights the importance of kite flying injuries as a common mode of injury in children and adolescents. It is an easily preventable mode of injury with simple safety regulations and possibly stronger legislation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, India.
authors.forename: Suvir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Nitin James
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Clarence
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Samuel
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bhatti
authors.forename: Dhruv Nath
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Ghosh
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010988:Play and Playthings / Q000293:injuries*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology
keywords: children; injury; kites; prevention