Jan 27, 09 | Posted by: Sharyl Paley, M.D.

Recent death from a vaccine-preventable illness

I was devastated to hear about the recent death of a Minnesota child from Hib meningitis. The reason I was so upset is that this is a vaccine-preventable illness and this death did not need to occur. Over the past few years we have heard much about “the dangers of vaccines.”  What people do not realize is the immense danger in not immunizing your children. The diseases we immunize against kill infants and children.

The case in Minnesota is a prime example. As of today there were five confirmed cases of Hib meningitis. One was in a child who had only received two of the vaccines because of his age.  Another was a child with an immune defiiciency which would put him at risk to not respond to the vaccine. 

The three other infants have parents who chose not to immunize them.  The death was in one of these unimmunized children. In my 12 years in practice I have only seen one case of Hib meningitis.  This was on my first day of residency and the parents also had chosen not to immunize their child. This child was three years old and would forever have the mental capacity of a 6-month-old. He would also be plagued with seizures. My first partner told me there used to be at  least one child a month in the hospital with Hib meningitis. We do not see this anymore. Vaccines HELP children. The infant in Minnesota did not need to die. While I understand the concern parents have, please make sure you have all the facts and understand the consequences if you do not immunize your child.

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