Education and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

It's estimated that Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) affects 40-thousand children in Nova Scotia. That's more than the people affected by Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, Tourette’s syndrome and cerebral palsy combined. And one educator and blogger is troubled that there's no support being offered to families affected by FASD in this province. Grant Frost says some of the kids who have this condition can be impulsive and can show inexplicable behaviour that can impact their learning and their classmates. And because a fetus can be impacted by alcohol five days after conception, this is a complicated conversation to have for parents who may not even know they're pregnant yet. But he says there is help and support available. Frost recently attended the Canada Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Research Network (CanFASD) conference in Moncton, N.B. He's now urging leaders in Nova Scotia to start taking the steps to start the conversation in our province.