Thinking about it, I don't think young Ben is dead after he was shot. The island has some way of returning life (in at least some form) to those that are it's current guardians/keepers is what I get from it. Ben isn't really relieved of his duty as protector (according to himself) almost to the present day, when John Locke takes over, and early on in the series (when they are time traveling a few seasons ago and see Claire giving birth) I think they say something along the lines of you can only observe, you can't change what happens. Since Ben is obviously alive long enough to become an adult I don't think he ever dies as a child, but I do agree and think it has something to do with how the island turned into a real shithole for pregnant girls.
WTB less questions and more answers, probably going to have to wait until next fall though. /sigh.
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