Mr. Speaker, fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effects are preventable tragedies. The cold hard fact is that when a pregnant woman drinks her unborn child also drinks.
Sadly FAS children can reflect severe neurological disorders, social dysfunction, permanent behavioural problems, learning disorders, hyperactivity, mental retardation, pre- and post-natal growth retardation, speech and vision impairment, and physical deformity. The list goes on.
The personal human devastation is horrific. FAS is estimated to cost $1.5 million during the lifetime of a child in terms of increased health needs, special education and social service costs. Far too many of these victims run afoul of our criminal justice system. In reality we are all affected.
I call upon the government to develop public education campaigns to promote public awareness and to encourage prevention initiatives. Let us stop the waste of productive lives. Let us eradicate fetal alcohol syndrome.