A tragic case out of Indiana is renewing urgent conversations around childhood vaccinations, after an 8-year-old boy died from a rare bacterial infection that doctors say was likely passed to him by someone who had not been immunized.
Liam Dahlberg, a healthy and happy child, came home from school one day in April complaining of a headache. By the following morning, he could hardly stay conscious. His parents rushed him to the emergency room, where doctors quickly discovered an aggressive infection in his brain and spinal cord.
“This wasn’t just a cold or the flu — it was something much worse,” his mother, Ashlee Dahlberg, told WTHR. “We were blindsided.”
Doctors diagnosed Liam with invasive Haemophilus influenzae, commonly referred to as “Hib” or “H. flu.” Despite the name, the infection is not related to the influenza virus. The bacteria can cause everything from mild bronchitis to life-threatening conditions like sepsis and meningitis. In Liam’s case, it was the latter — and it proved fatal.
“An MRI revealed the infection had already engulfed his brain and spinal cord,” Ashlee explained. “By then, the doctors told us there was nothing more that could be done.”
The illness is uncommon in the U.S. today, thanks in large part to the Hib vaccine, which became widely available in the 1980s. But with vaccination rates slipping in some communities, doctors say preventable tragedies like this one are becoming more likely.
“This was an incredibly serious disease before the vaccine came along,” said Indiana pediatrician Dr. Eric Yancy in an interview with local media. “When a child is not vaccinated, they become vulnerable — and they put others at risk, too.”
Hib is spread through respiratory droplets, and people can carry and transmit the bacteria even if they show no symptoms. According to the Cleveland Clinic, an infected person might seem perfectly healthy while still spreading the bacteria to others — especially children who are too young or medically unable to be vaccinated.
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia notes that before widespread vaccination, Hib caused serious illness in 20,000 American children each year. Survivors were often left with permanent disabilities, including paralysis, hearing loss, or brain damage.
In Liam’s case, the infection moved quickly and left the family with little time to respond. Ashlee shared a heart-wrenching video of her son in the hospital, writhing in pain. “There’s no word for that kind of suffering,” she said. “I cradled him in my arms while they removed life support,” she said. I felt his heartbeat fade. I’ll never forget that.”
A GoFundMe launched to help cover medical expenses describes Liam as “a bright, joyful young boy with so much promise.”
Now, his mother hopes his story will be a wake-up call.
“I did everything I thought I was supposed to do,” she said. “But I couldn’t protect him from this. No parent should have to feel that kind of loss.”
The family continues to grieve — and to raise awareness about the importance of vaccination.