Q: An 8 months old child suffered from scald burns over his anterior chest wall. He was well covered with antibiotics and was given daily dressing of the wound. On the fifth day after dressing, the child developed convulsions, did not recover and finally died. I want to know what could be the cause of his death - was is it vasovagal shock?

A:The cause of death could be because of many reasons depending on how was the burn sustained and what was the extent and depth of burns? Was there any history of convulsions before the child sustained burns? The chances of death on 5th day following burns, unless it is very extensive, is unlikely due to burns alone. Shock per se is the result of septicemia in extensive burns.