EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Alison Redford says it’s critical to address the root causes of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and not just the symptoms.
Redford says statistics show most people in trouble with the law suffer from some form of the illness, also known as FASD.
She made the comments after speaking to delegates in Edmonton at the first-ever international conference on FASD prevention.
Experts are discussing theories to prevent women from drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
They are focusing on the challenges of FASD in aboriginal communities and medical questions such as whether there is any safe level of alcohol for a woman during pregnancy.
FASD refers to a range of disorders including fetal alcohol syndrome, and it’s estimated that the disorder affects one per cent of newborns in North America.