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When Ashlee Dahlberg\u2019s 8-year-old son, Liam, came home with a headache, she had no idea it would be their last evening together.<\/p>\n
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 \u2014 a growing risk as vaccination rates drop.<\/p>\n
Hib can cause severe conditions like meningitis and sepsis. In Liam\u2019s case, it quickly turned deadly. \u201cThere was nothing they could do,\u201d Ashlee said. \u201cHe was gone within 24 hours.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashlee now urges parents to vaccinate, saying, \u201cI feel I\u2019ve failed my child because I couldn\u2019t protect him.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Liam is remembered as a bright, kind boy. A GoFundMe supporting the family has raised over $54,000.<\/p>\n
Globally, Hib vaccination rates remain uneven, with cost being a major barrier \u2014 the vaccine costs about seven times more than the combined cost of several other routine childhood vaccines.<\/p>\n
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When Ashlee Dahlberg\u2019s 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…<\/p>\n