After 8-year-old son dies, Northwest Indiana family urges vaccination against meningitis-causing bacteria
Disease caused by HIB decreased by 99% after vaccines were introduced in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
By Lauren Victory
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Indiana (WBBM) — It’s back-to-school week for tens of thousands of students in the Chicago area, and at this time of year, sicknesses creep up with kids being in close quarters.
With that in mind, a grieving Northwest Indiana family wants to share a message about vaccinating children.
Lake Prairie Elementary School in Lowell, Indiana, will be chirping with activity for the first day of school soon. Liam Dahlberg will not be there to start fourth grade.
“He was one-of-a-kind,” said Liam’s still-tearful mom, Ashlee Dalhberg. “Anybody that knew him, described him as a walking angel on earth.”
Liam is now an angel in heaven. His parents, Ashlee and Erik Dahlberg, want to share the tragedy that robbed them of their 8-year-old — they showed CBS News Chicago videos of Liam looking completely out-of-it in the emergency room.
“That Thursday turned his world upside down, and ours as well,” said Erik Dahlberg.
The Thursday in question transpired in April of this year. After a normal day of school, Liam got off the bus and complained of a headache.
“We gave him ibuprofen, and he went outside and was playing with his friends for a while,” said Erik Dahlberg. “Then he came back in and said he had a headache again.”
The family from Lowell took Liam to a local hospital after he began hallucinating. He was quickly transferred to the Comer Children’s Hospital at the University of Chicago.
“He had over 100,000 white blood cells in his spinal fluid,” said Ashlee Dahlberg.
It was a sign that Liam’s body was fighting a severe infection. That battle caused meningitis — meaning Liam’s brain swelled.
“We were just trying to cheer him on, trying to pull him through — hoping for that slight miracle that he would come through,” said Ashlee Dahlberg.
Liam died around 3 a.m. that Saturday — only 36 hours after getting off the bus with a headache.
“I just don’t want anyone else to go through what we’ve gone through for something that is so preventable,” said Ashlee Dahlberg.
Indeed, what happened to Liam is vaccine preventable. Dr. Allison Bartlett, a pediatric infectious disease expert at Comer, knows all about that.
“I’m really glad for people who have the courage to speak up and share their stories,” Bartlett said.
Dr. Bartlett did not work personally on Liam’s case, but her colleagues did. They noted in his hospital record, “We are suspicious for Haemophilus influenzae Type B,” also known as HIB.
Haemophilus influenzae are a type of bacteria.
“There are years where there’s not even 20 cases in the country,” said Bartlett.
Disease caused by HIB decreased by 99% after vaccines were introduced in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
“How is HIB still out there? There is not much of it around, which is great,” said Bartlett. “But it’s not completely gone. And it’s probably more likely present in someone who is not vaccinated.”
Liam had all his shots. But about 20% of Lake County, Indiana kids are not vaccinated for HIB, according to state health data.
HIB immunization rates across the state dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic, and are still recovering.
“As levels of vaccinations surrounding them decrease, it increases the risk for the individual who happened to not respond to the vaccine,” said Bartlett.
That was what happened to Liam. And with their son gone, the Dahlbergs will do anything to help their message.
“Please do the vaccinations,” said Ashlee Dahlberg.
“If we can persuade one parent who is on the fence about vaccine or not vaccine, then it’s all worth it,” said Erik Dahlberg.
Indiana does not require the HIB vaccine, but recommends it to go to daycare or preschool. Illinois mandates the vaccine.
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