Burns can be caused by heat, electricity and chemicals. Burns of the soft tissue can be life-threatening particularly when they involve the respiratory tract or occur over extensive areas of the skin. Burns of the skin can lead to shock and sepsis which both occur hours after the trauma occurs. Always be alert to possible airway involvement.

Even if a patient has no signs of external burns, there can be inhalation injuries. These can pose a serious problem. Signs of burns involving the respiratory tract include:

• Burns of the face, nose, mouth or chest
• Singed eyebrows, lashes or nasal hair
• Abnormal breath sounds such as stridor, wheezes or rhonchi
• Inadequate chest expansion
• Sooty sputum
• Respiratory distress
• Hoarse voice or persistent cough
• History of confinement in toxic or smoky environment.