What is HIB?
HIB is a bacterium that can cause meningitis, blood infections, bone infections, throat infections, and pneumonia. It almost exclusively affects infants and the elderly.
HIB is spread like the common cold and starts with similar symptoms. In a mild case, it may be treated in such a way that the child recovers without ever knowing the cause was HIB.
Severe cases require hospitalization with aggressive antibiotic treatment, and can lead to HIB meningitis, hearing loss, and nerve injury.
Is HIB Common?
No, but it used to be. Before the vaccine (1980s), there were about 20,000 cases of serious HIB infections a year in the US. There are now only have about 25 cases each year - almost all occurring in children under the age of 5, and most within the first two years.
Treatment may include...
Antibiotics
Respiratory support
Why Some Get It & Why Some Don't
Meningitis and blood infections are very serious, and there are many germs that cause these conditions - HIB used to be one of the most common. Although HIB is now extremely rare, continued vaccination keeps the disease out of our population. This vaccine also has one of the safest side effects profiles, and the ingredients are purer than most.
A breast-fed baby who does not attend daycare has a particularly low risk of catching this illness, therefore many of these parents will choose to skip this vaccine because the extreme cases are very rare (about 25 cases a year in the US in kids under 5).
If a child does contract HIB it can be tragic, but the risk in the US is very low as long as people continue to vaccinate against it.
Options to Consider
There are two aluminum free brands: ActHIB and Hiberix
If you can, try and get one of these brands. If that's not an option, and you are concerned about Aluminum, you can tell your doctor you will only allow your child to receive one aluminum-containing vaccine at a time.
Sources:
The Vaccine Book
Robert W. Sears, MD, FAAP
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