Sounding Off:

A federal court ruled recently that mercury in vaccines doesn’t cause autism, but parents like Erica Henderson aren’t buying it.

Erica and her husband lost their second child when he was 6 weeks old. He died hours after he received his first immunizations.

She believes her son’s death is directly linked to his vaccinations. And her belief is based not only on this experience, she says, but on the adverse reactions of her firstborn shortly after receiving his own vaccinations.

Erica and her husband are part of the growing anti-vaccine movement, arguing that immunization is linked to a long list of diseases and disabilities, including autism, attention deficit disorder, allergies, paralysis and even death.

Many of these parents decide to keep their children in school even though they don’t have the required immunizations. But how easy is it for them to enroll and provide their kids with the same experiences that every parent wants?

Dennis Roberson, chief of special education services for the Orange County Department of Education in Costa Mesa, and Nathan Wright, director of the Thinktwice Global Vaccine Institute, are on different sides of the immunizations debate, but they agree on at least one thing: There are no legal barriers for parents who want to enroll their unvaccinated children in California public schools.

California is one of only 20 states that offer a philosophical exemption allowing parents to enroll their children in public schools without immunizations.

The “personal beliefs exemption” says that if a child’s vaccination goes against a parent’s or guardian’s religious or personal beliefs, the parent must sign an affidavit at the time of school registration. Those children will then be exempt from immunization requirements. Whether this information is readily available to parents is often debated.

Once enrolled in public school, the law says that unvaccinated children may participate in the same activities as those who are immunized. Legality aside, an anti-vaccination stance can be particularly challenging for parents.

A parent who chooses not to vaccinate a child can be at odds with authorities responsible for school safety.

Well-known to educational administrators, the seventh edition of the “California Immunization Handbook for Schools and Child Care Programs” explains immunization requirements and the responsibilities they entail.

Fear of childhood epidemics is of particular concern for educators, who understand how quickly disease can travel.

Whether it is lice, pink eye or something more threatening, a school administrator must identify it quickly and take steps to prevent it from spreading.

Indeed, unvaccinated children may be stopped from attending public school if specific outbreaks occur.

Even one of Erica’s neighbors had a problem with her unvaccinated children and reported Erica’s family to the California Children and Family Services Division. The agency initially charged the parents with not immunizing their children. Though the charges were later dismissed, it took nearly a year to resolve the issue, including multiple court visits and costs.

California’s Health and Human Services Agency articulates a strong argument for vaccinations. Parents are presented with the following conclusions to support immunizations: 1. Your child will be left at great risk of the disease; 2. your child will be a threat to others.

But Erica says her children would have a high health risk by taking vaccines. Her first child swelled up, had a high fever and cried inconsolably during injections.

When Erica expressed her concerns, her pediatrician told her it was a “coincidence,” she said. Looking back, she said, she dismissed her own experiences in favor of an unwavering trust in the knowledge and skills of her pediatrician.

Even now, finding the “right” physician for her children has been a challenge for Erica.

She and her family consulted with eight or nine before finding one who was willing to work with them.

They now have the support of a physician who does not endorse their anti-vaccination stance, but who honors it and treats their children as needed.

Statements such as “vaccines are very safe, and the threat of these diseases is very real” may not reflect the views of Erica, but they do describe California Department of Health Service’s expectations of those who are responsible for children.

The official pro-vaccination stance of the fields of education, medicine and health services is likely driven by a sincere commitment to children.

While challenging this stance can be overwhelming to many, parents such as Erica say they are trusting their own experiences and their own beliefs — and doing what they think is best to protect their children.

MINDY SLOAN is associate dean at the Brandman University School of Education.