Newborn who suffered burns at JJ still critical

Mumbai: The eight-day-old baby girl battling burns at JJ Hospital in Byculla continues to be critical but stable, doctors said. An investigation has revealed that the incident was caused by a short circuit, and therefore no inquiry has been ordered.
The baby continues to be in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where she had sustained the superficial burns on her back and shoulders last Saturday while undergoing phototherapy.A voltage fluctuation caused the machine’s florescent light to heat up. The heating for a few seconds left the baby, then just a day old, with 20% burns.
Dean Dr TP Lahane said all electric fittings were checked following the incident. “Incidentally, some wards, including the NICU, were checked just eight days ago and everything was okay. It is an unfortunate incident but we have little control ov-er. Neonatal and pediatric ICUs, critical care units, medical ICUs, etc, are regularly checked,” he said, adding that the child’s condition was improving.
One of her caregivers said the baby is being fed through a tube. “She will soon be started on mother’s milk. Her recovery is good,” she said, adding that the child is being closely monitored. Her jaundice too has healed.
Plastic surgery department doctors are dressing her wound every alternate day. “Since babies are susceptible to infections, the dressing is being done in the operation theatre and not ward. She has not developed any infection,” a doctor said.
The family said they were happy with the hospital. “They have been coming to JJ for their kids’treatment for years,” a relative said.