Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

At noon today, I joined many others in a walk from the Forks to the Legislature to raise awareness of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). The good news is that there have been improvements in how children with FASD are educated in school, and children with the new approaches are now learning better. It was also good to see many nursing students who care deeply enough about preventing FASD come out and march today. The bad news is that Manitoba's NDP government has failed, in six years, to identify all children born with FASD in Manitoba (or even come anywhere close), so that these children can be identified early and helped. We still do not know how many children are being born with FASD each year in Manitoba, and without knowing this we don't know whether our efforts to decrease FASD are having any effect. For more details of what is needed see our Liberal report on Healthy Children at www.manitobaliberals.ca In the photo above, I am joining many others in the walk to the legislature.