Rourke Baby Record

The Rourke Baby Record (RBR) is an evidence-based health supervision guide for physicians and other health care providers caring for children in the first five years of life. Its goal has always been to ensure that health care providers have up-to-date evidence and information to provide effective care for children in Canada.

The RBR is available to download at no charge for all health professionals.

• Rourke Baby Record: Evidence-based infant/child health maintenance Guides I to IV (birth to 5 years), immunization record (Guide V), and Resources 1 - 4. Available in English or French and National or Ontario-specific versions.
• WHO Growth Charts adapted for Canada for the primary care setting (updated in March 2014).

The Rourke Baby Record website includes:

• Highlights of revisions in the 2020 RBR from the prior edition.
• Interactive 2020 RBR showing summary of current evidence, guidelines and parent resources for most items. 
• Parent brochures for specific well baby visits, and web links to reliable information for parents on common health issues.

The RBR was originally developed in 1979 by Drs. Leslie and James Rourke, (Professors emeriti of Family Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland). The latest revision was completed in January 2020 in collaboration with:

• Dr. Denis Leduc, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, McGill University; past president of the Canadian Paediatric Society,
• Dr. Patricia Li, paediatrician, CIHR-funded clinician scientist, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at McGill University,
• Dr. Anne Rowan-Legg, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa,
• Dr. Imaan Bayoumi, clinician-scientist and Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, Queen’s University,
• Dr. Bruce Kwok, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto. 

Dr. Li and her team were assisted in the evidence review process by the McMaster Evidence Review and Synthesis Team.

The Rourke Baby Record Committee is affiliated with the CPS. The Rourke Baby Record is endorsed by the CPS, the College of Family Physicians of Canada and Dietitians of Canada; and is supported by the Government of Ontario.