Have you ever listened to a nursery rhyme and thought to yourself, why does everyone get hurt or die?
A research scientist from the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania has challenged whether nursery rhymes were written to teach children manners and morals or help them prevent head injuries.
In a recently published article in BMJ, one of the world’s top five most cited general medical journals, since 1840, seven seemingly harmless nursery rhymes were reviewed and paralleled to the real-life consequences of hitting your head.
The seven nursery rhymes are listed below.
Humpty Dumpty, an egg, similar to a human head, gets a skull fracture from falling off a wall.
Jack and Jill, a boy, gets a skull fracture from falling down a hill.
Rock-a-Bye Baby, an infant left in a cradle placed up high, falls from a tree. We can only guess what happens to him.
Ring a Ring o’ Roses, children stand in a circle, fall on the ground, possibly causing head injuries.
Five Little Monkeys, small monkeys, hit their heads after jumping on a bed, possibly fracturing their skulls.
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