Robert Armstrong

BSc, MSc, MD, PhD

Investigator Emeritus, BC Children's Hospital
Professor Emeritus, Aga Khan University

My primary interest focuses on advancing healthy development and health care among children in low resource settings, primarily East Africa and South Asia.

Academic Affiliations

  • Professor Emeritus/a, Division of Developmental Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
  • Research Theme: Evidence to Innovation
  • Research Group(s): Clinical Practice, Outcomes and Innovation; Global Health and Innovations; Neurodevelopmental and Neurological Disorders

Contact Information

Informal settlements and the care of children 0"3 years of age: a qualitative study

Frontiers in Public Health

Jegathesan, T. and Yousafzai, A. and Mantel, M. and Sereni, V. and Armstrong, R.W. and Minhas, R.S.

DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1110578

Medical education and population health"A framework in the design of a new undergraduate program

Frontiers in Public Health

Armstrong, R.W. and Mantel, M. and Walraven, G. and Atwoli, L. and Ngugi, A.K.

DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1068092

Better Together: achieving a global professional network for childhood disability

Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology

Forssberg, H. and Damiano, D.L. and Armstrong, R.

DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.15145

Child disability and family-centred care in East Africa: Perspectives from a workshop with stakeholders and health practitioners

African Journal of Disability

Samia, P. and Wamithi, S. and Kassam, A. and Tirkha, M. and Kija, E. and Moges, A. and Seal, A. and Rosenbaum, P. and Armstrong, R.

DOI: 10.4102/AJOD.V11I0.931

Global Gaps in Training Opportunities for Pediatricians and Pediatric Subspecialists

Academic Pediatrics

Harper, B.D. and Nganga, W. and Armstrong, R. and Forsyth, K.D. and Ham, H.P. and Vincuilla, J. and Keenan, W.J. and Palfrey, J.S. and Russ, C.M.

DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2019.12.002

Where are the paediatricians? An international survey to understand the global paediatric workforce

BMJ Paediatrics Open

Harper, B.D. and Nganga, W. and Armstrong, R. and Forsyth, K.D. and Ham, H.P. and Keenan, W.J. and Russ, C.M.

DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2018-000397

Population Health Science: A Core Element of Health Science Education in Sub-Saharan Africa

Academic Medicine

Hiatt, R.A. and Engmann, N.J. and Ahmed, M. and Amarsi, Y. and MacHaria, W.M. and MacFarlane, S.B. and Ngugi, A.K. and Rabbani, F. and Walraven, G. and Armstrong, R.W.

DOI: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000001320

Utilization of health services in a resourcelimited rural area in Kenya: Prevalence and associated household-level factors

PLoS ONE

Ngugi, A.K. and Agoi, F. and Mahoney, M.R. and Lakhani, A. and Mang'Ong'o, D. and Nderitu, E. and Armstrong, R. and Macfarlane, S.

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172728

Prevention of congenital disorders and care of affected children: A consensus statement

JAMA Pediatrics

Darmstadt, G.L. and Howson, C.P. and Walraven, G. and Armstrong, R.W. and Blencowe, H.K. and Christianson, A.L. and Kent, A. and Malherbe, H. and Murray, J.C. and Padilla, C.D. and Walani, S.R. and Aagaard, K. and Aggarwal, N. and Amarasena, S. and Barlow-Mosha, L. and Vastani, M.A. and Nyaligu, E.A. and Awoyale, T. and Bauwens, L. and Carvalho, M. and Chellani, H. and Cosmas, G. and D'Agostino, S. and Darlison, M.W. and Devraj, S. and El Rafei, R. and Elias, M. and Ens-Dokkum, M. and Ezeaka, C.V. and Familiar-Lopez, I. and Gowans, L.J.J. and Grant, A. and Gupta, S. and Huhtinen, P. and Iretiola, F. and Jayaratne, K. and Joseph, A. and Kancherla, V. and Khera, A. and Levy-Fisch, J. and Liang, D. and Lloyd-Puryear, M. and Macharia, W. and Madeira, L. and Muburirwa, J.M. and Malasa, L.J. and Manduca, P. and Manoni, J. and Kilasi, S.M. and Miquel-Verges, F. and Mohamed, S. and Mtei, L. and Mullumba, E. and Mushema, B. and Musoke, R. and Nembhard, W. and Nguhi, M. and Nippert, I. and Njoroge, E.N. and Obondo, J.N. and Olubunmi, C.L.-A. and Alitsi, R.O. and Pachn, H. and Poortman, Y. and Powell, C. and Powell, L. and Raina, N. and Rajarajeswari, K. and Sabet, N. and Safori, H. and Kishimba, R.S. and Bayakub, A.S. and Salum, H. and Salvatory, F. and Sambala, S. and Sanseverino, M.T.V. and Frank, V.S. and Sayed-Raeisy, I. and Seya, N. and Shabani, H.K. and Shalua, A. and Therrell, B. and Tole, J. and Tusiime, C. and Weliwagamage, W.K.N. and Woods, D.L. and Wu, L.

DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.0388

Effect of provision of an integrated neonatal survival kit and early cognitive stimulation package by community health workers on developmental outcomes of infants in Kwale County, Kenya: Study protocol for a cluster randomized trial

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Pell, L.G. and Bassani, D.G. and Nyaga, L. and Njagi, I. and Wanjiku, C. and Thiruchselvam, T. and Macharia, W. and Minhas, R.S. and Kitsao-Wekulo, P. and Lakhani, A. and Bhutta, Z.A. and Armstrong, R. and Morris, S.K.

DOI: 10.1186/s12884-016-1042-5

Parenting skills and emotional availability: An RCT

Pediatrics

Yousafzai, A.K. and Rasheed, M.A. and Rizvi, A. and Armstrong, R. and Bhutta, Z.A.

DOI: 10.1542/peds.2014-2335

Child development, disability and global health: Opportunity and responsibility

Optimizing Treatment for Children in the Developing World

Armstrong, R.W.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-15750-4_26

Effect of integrated responsive stimulation and nutrition interventions in the Lady Health Worker programme in Pakistan on child development, growth, and health outcomes: A cluster-randomised factorial effectiveness trial

The Lancet

Yousafzai, A.K. and Rasheed, M.A. and Rizvi, A. and Armstrong, R. and Bhutta, Z.A.

DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60455-4

The role of inflammation in contrast-induced nephropathy

British Journal of Radiology

Kwasa, E.A. and Vinayak, S. and Armstrong, R.

DOI: 10.1259/bjr.20130738

Comparing contents of outcome measures in cerebral palsy using the international classification of functioning (ICF-CY): A systematic review

European Journal of Paediatric Neurology

Schiariti, V. and Klassen, A.F. and Cieza, A. and Sauve, K. and O'Donnell, M. and Armstrong, R. and Msse, L.C.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2013.08.001

Cost effectiveness of responsive stimulation and nutrition interventions on early child development outcomes in Pakistan

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

Gowani, S. and Yousafzai, A.K. and Armstrong, R. and Bhutta, Z.A.

DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12367

Toward the development of the international classification of functioning core sets for children with cerebral palsy: A global expert survey

Journal of Child Neurology

Schiariti, V. and Msse, L.C. and Cieza, A. and Klassen, A.F. and Sauve, K. and Armstrong, R. and O'Donnell, M.

DOI: 10.1177/0883073813475481

Models of education in medicine, public health, and engineering

Science

Garcia, P. and Armstrong, R. and Zaman, M.H.

DOI: 10.1126/science.1258782

Influence of Perceived Racial Discrimination on Health and Behaviour of Immigrant Children in British Columbia

International Journal of Population Research

M. Anne George and Cherylynn Bassani and Robert W. Armstrong

DOI: 10.1155/2012/274963

04 / 2012

Risks to Early Childhood Health and Development in the Postconflict Transition of Northern Uganda

International Journal of Pediatrics

Theresa A. McElroy and Stella Atim and Charles P. Larson and Robert W. Armstrong

DOI: 10.1155/2012/820290

Perceived Ethnic Discrimination and Social Exclusion: Newcomer Immigrant Children in Canada

American Journal of Orthopsychiatry

Oxman-Martinez, J. and Rummens, A.J. and Moreau, J. and Choi, Y.R. and Beiser, M. and Ogilvie, L. and Armstrong, R.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-0025.2012.01161.x

Survey of "northern" child and maternal health research being conducted in Canada

International Journal of Circumpolar Health

George, M.H. and Armstrong, R.W.

DOI: 10.3402/ijch.v70i4.17839

Predictors of emotional problems and physical aggression among children of Hong Kong Chinese, Mainland Chinese and Filipino immigrants to Canada

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology

Beiser, M. and Hamilton, H. and Rummens, J.A. and Oxman-Martinez, J. and Ogilvie, L. and Humphrey, C. and Armstrong, R.

DOI: 10.1007/s00127-009-0140-3

The Global Pediatrician: Is There Such a Person, or Can There Be?

Journal of Pediatrics

Armstrong, R.W.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2010.01.001

Child and youth health and health human resources

Paediatrics and Child Health

Armstrong, R.

DOI: 10.1093/pch/14.5.293

Focus on the profession: Academic and clinical departments

British Columbia Medical Journal

Armstrong, R.W.

Waiting for child developmental and rehabilitation services: An overview of issues and needs

Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology

Miller, A.R. and Armstrong, R.W. and Msse, L.C. and Klassen, A.F. and Shen, J. and O'Donnell, M.E.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2008.03113.x

The first meta-analysis of randomized controlled surgical trials in cerebral palsy (2002)

Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology

Armstrong, R.W.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2008.00244.x

Global health training for pediatric residents

Pediatric Annals

Stanton, B. and Huang, C.-C. and Armstrong, R.W. and Sectish, T.C. and Palfrey, J. and Nelson, B.D. and Herlihy, J.M. and Alden, E. and Keenan, W. and Szilagyi, P.

DOI: 10.3928/00904481-20081201-11

Cerebral palsy: why doesn't our knowledge advance more quickly?

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology

Robert Armstrong

DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2003.tb00960.x

02 / 2007

Cerebral Palsy

Evidence-Based Pediatrics and Child Health with CD-ROM

Scheinberg, A. and O'Donnell, M.E. and Armstrong, R. and Williams, K.

DOI: 10.1002/9780470987384.ch46

Services for children and youth with chronic health conditions: Views of pediatricians in British Columbia

Chronic Diseases in Canada

Miller, A.R. and Recsky, M. and Ghazirad, M. and Papsdorf, M. and Armstrong, R.W.

Definition and classification of cerebral palsy

Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology

Armstrong, R.W.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2007.00166.x

Intrathecal baclofen use in children with spasticity - A physicians'survey [1]

Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology

Rice, J. and O'Donnell, M. and Armstrong, R.

DOI: 10.1017/S0012162206212222

Global child health: An essential component of residency training

Journal of Pediatrics

Kamat, D. and Armstrong, R.W.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2006.09.037

Medical education and chronic disease [4] (multiple letters)

CMAJ

Dub, S. and Miller, A.R. and Recsky, M.A. and Armstrong, R.W.

DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.1041745

Responding to the needs of children with chronic health conditions in an era of health services reform

CMAJ

Miller, A.R. and Recsky, M.A. and Armstrong, R.W.

DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.1040019

Use of medical services by Methylphenidate-treated children in the general population

Ambulatory Pediatrics

Miller, A.R. and Brehaut, J.C. and Raina, P. and McGrail, K.M. and Armstrong, R.W.

DOI: 10.1367/A03-031R1.1

Country of birth and language spoken at home in relation to illicit substance use

Canadian Journal of Public Health

Chien, L.-Y. and George, M.A. and Armstrong, R.W.

DOI: 10.1007/bf03404998

Prescription of methylphenidate to children and youth, 1990-1996

CMAJ

Miller, A.R. and Lalonde, C.E. and McGrail, K.M. and Armstrong, R.W.

Evidence of the effects of intrathecal baclofen for spastic and dystonic cerebral palsy

Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology

Butler, C. and Campbell, S. and Adams, R. and Abel, M. and Chambers, H. and Goldstein, M. and Leach, J. and Darrah, J. and Msall, M. and Edgar, T. and McLaughlin, J. and Damiano, D. and Susan Stott, N. and Samson-Fang, L. and Logan, L. and Albright, L. and Armstrong, R. and O'Donnell, M.

DOI: 10.1017/S0012162200001183

Family-centred functional therapy for children with cerebral palsy: An emerging practice model

Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics

Law, M. and Darrah, J. and Pollock, N. and King, G. and Rosenbaum, P. and Russell, D. and Palisano, R. and Harris, S. and Armstrong, R. and Watt, J.

DOI: 10.1080/J006v18n01_06

A randomized clinical trial to compare selective posterior rhizotomy plus physiotherapy with physiotherapy alone in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy

Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology

Steinbok, P. and Reiner, A.M. and Beauchamp, R. and Armstrong, R.W. and Cochrane, D.D.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1997.tb07407.x

Pharmacologic interventions for management of spasticity in cerebral palsy

Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews

O'Donnell, M. and Armstrong, R.

DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2779(1997)3:2u003C204::AID-MRDD12u003E3.0.CO;2-Z

Intrathecally administered baclofen for treatment of children with spasticity of cerebral origin

Journal of Neurosurgery

Armstrong, R.W. and Steinbok, P. and Cochrane, D.D. and Kube, S.D. and Fife, S.E. and Farrell, K.

DOI: 10.3171/jns.1997.87.3.0409

The adequacy of prenatal care and incidence of low birthweight among the poor in Washington State and British Columbia.

American Journal of Public Health

S J Katz and R W Armstrong and J P LoGerfo

DOI: 10.2105/ajph.84.6.986

06 / 1994

Parent-Professional Agreement on Diagnosis and Recommendations for Children With Developmental Disorders

children's health care

Helena, H.H. and Miller, A. and Armstrong, R.W.

DOI: 10.1207/s15326888chc2302_6

Reliability of a measure to assess outcomes of adaptive seating in children with neuromotor disabilities

Canadian Journal of Rehabilitation

Fife, S. and Roxborough, L.A. and Story, M. and Field, D. and Harris, S.R. and Armstrong, R.W.

Children's Attitudes toward a Nonspeaking Child Using Various Augmentative and Alternative Communication Techniques

Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Blockberger, S. and Armstrong, R.W. and OConnor, A. and Freeman, R.

DOI: 10.1080/07434619312331276661

Toronto clinic's new approach [2]

CMAJ

Armstrong, R. and Rosenbaum, P. and Gowland, C. and King, G. and King, S. and Law, M. and Russell, D. and Willan, A. and Teasell, R.W. and Smith, K.M. and Bayley, M. and Wright, J.G. and Pape, K.E.

Upper body exercise capacity in youth with spina bifida

Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly

Coutts, K. and McKenzie, D. and Loock, C. and Beauchamp, R. and Armstrong, R.

DOI: 10.1123/apaq.10.1.22

Knowledge of fetal alcohol syndrome among native Indians

Canadian Journal of Public Health

Robinson, G.C. and Armstrong, R.W. and Moczuk, I.B. and Loock, C.A.

Continuous Intrathecal Baclofen Treatment of Severe Spasms in Two Children with Spinal-cord Injury

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology

Armstrong, R.W. and Steinbok, P. and Farrell, K. and Cochrane, D. and Norman, M.G. and Kube, S.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1992.tb11509.x

Self-Perceived Social Function among Disabled Children in Regular Classrooms

Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

Armstrong, R.W. and Rosenbaum, P.L. and King, S.

DOI: 10.1097/00004703-199202000-00004

Intrathecal baclofen and spasticity: What do we know and what do we need to know?

Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology

Armstrong, R.W.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1992.tb11510.x

Development of a clinical measure of postural control for assessment of adaptive seating in children with neuromotor disabilities

Physical Therapy

Fife, S.E. and Roxborough, L.A. and Armstrong, R.W. and Harris, S.R. and Gregson, J.L. and Field, D.

DOI: 10.1093/ptj/71.12.981

AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF CHILDREN'S ATTITUDES TOWARD DISABILITY

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology

King, S.M. and Rosenbaum, P. and Armstrong, R.W. and Milner, R.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1989.tb03984.x

Determinants of Children's Attitudes Toward Disability: A Review of Evidence

Children's Health Care

Rosenbaum, P.L. and Armstrong, R.W. and King, S.M.

DOI: 10.1207/s15326888chc1701_5

A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF A BUDDY PROGRAMME TO IMPROVE CHILDREN'S ATTITUDES TOWARD THE DISABLED

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology

Armstrong, R.W. and Rosenbaum, P.L. and King, S.M.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1987.tb02486.x

Parental attitudes toward children with handicaps: New perspectives with a new measures

Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

Rosenbaum, P.L. and Armstrong, R.W. and King, S.M.

Improving attitudes toward the disabled: A randomized controlled trial of direct contact versus kids-on-the-block

Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

Rosenbaum, P.L. and Armstrong, R.W. and King, S.M.

DOI: 10.1097/00004703-198610000-00005

Children's attitudes toward disabled peers: A self-report measure

Journal of Pediatric Psychology

Rosenbaum, P.L. and Armstrong, R.W. and King, S.M.

DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/11.4.517

Peripheral concentrations of gonadotropins and progestins during pregnancy in rabbits after active immunization against testosterone

Fertility and Sterility

Younglai, E.V. and Armstrong, R.W.

DOI: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)45686-4

Adenosine triphosphate inhibits LH stimulated testosterone accumulation by isolated rabbit ovarian follicles

IRCS Medical Science

Losier, A.J. and Armstrong, R.W. and Younglai, E.V.

Adenosine triphospate inhibits LH stimulated testosteron accumulation.

IRCS journal of medical science

Morphological changes in the rabbit ovary after active immunization to testosterone

Cell and Tissue Research

Armstrong, R.W. and McCallion, D.J. and YoungLai, E.V.

DOI: 10.1007/BF00225349

Effects of active immunization of female rabbits against testosterone

Journal of Endocrinology

Armstrong, R.W. and Gauldie, J. and Younglai, E.V.

DOI: 10.1677/joe.0.0790339

An Integrated Toolkit to Save Newborn Lives and Brains in Kenya

This project explores the impact of a toolkit for newborn care and/or a third trimester newborn stimulation messaging package delivered by community health workers on infant developmental outcomes at 12-months of age, compared to infants’ whose mothers received existing standard of care.

Child Disability and Family-Centered Care in East Africa

A newly established Eastern Africa Association of Child Disability (EAACD) within the International Alliance of Academies of Child Disability (IAACD) is working to promote a common global standard of practice for children with disabilities, disseminate evidence-based information, foster local networks to implement best practice and support multi-disciplinary and family-centered practice.

Academic Health Systems in Low Resource Settings

The work is exploring ways to advance the benefits of academic health systems in research, education, and clinical service within low resource settings.

Honours & Awards

Outstanding Alumni Award, Simon Fraser University

Our Research

At BC Children’s, we are making discoveries that save lives and transform health care for children in our province and around the world. Our research portfolio includes basic, clinical, population, and public health research.

EXPLORE OUR RESEARCH

Stay in the Know

Sign up for compelling stories about innovative science, the doctors and researchers who turn ideas into discoveries and treatments, and the kids and families whose lives are changed.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.