When Ashlee Dahlberg’s 8-year-old son, Liam, came home with a headache, she had no idea it would be their last evening together.
By morning, Liam was barely responsive. Doctors found his brain and spinal cord covered in bacteria from a rare and aggressive infection: Haemophilus influenzae (Hib). Despite being vaccinated, Liam likely contracted it from an unvaccinated child — a growing risk as vaccination rates drop.
Hib can cause severe conditions like meningitis and sepsis. In Liam’s case, it quickly turned deadly. “There was nothing they could do,” Ashlee said. “He was gone within 24 hours.”
Ashlee now urges parents to vaccinate, saying, “I feel I’ve failed my child because I couldn’t protect him.”
Before the Hib vaccine was introduced in 1985, it was often fatal. While 95% effective, the vaccine only protects those who receive it, and outbreaks can still occur when others go unvaccinated.
Liam is remembered as a bright, kind boy. A GoFundMe supporting the family has raised over $54,000.
Globally, Hib vaccination rates remain uneven, with cost being a major barrier — the vaccine costs about seven times more than the combined cost of several other routine childhood vaccines.
