International Adoption Clinic

Please sign up for a MyChart account before your first visit.

Our scheduling team will contact you by phone to schedule an appointment.

Our clinic team will contact you prior to your first visit to arrange the secure transfer of any adoption referral information, growth charts, pre-adoption medical laboratory test and imaging results, and consultations performed in the patient’s country of origin, as well as past immunization records. We will strive to review this information in advance of the first consultation to make our time together more efficient.

If something changes and you need to reschedule your appointment, please let us know at least 24-48 hours in advance if you are unable to make it by calling 613-737-7600 x2222. No-shows or frequent cancellations may result in discharge from the service.

CHEO’s International Adoption Clinic is located in C1 (Main building, level 2- main floor.)

You will need to bring the following items to your appointment:

• Health card

• List of any medications, including dosages

• List of allergies

• Immunization record (source country and those in Canada)

• Adoption referral information, growth charts, pre-adoption medical test results (labs, imaging) and medical documents if available (physician, surgical or psychologist reports, hospital discharge summaries)

Screening laboratory results will be available on MyChart shortly after your first visit, although some specialized testing takes weeks for the final result to be posted.

All results will be thoroughly reviewed with families during their next appointment.

All patients must be referred by a physician or nurse practitioner. After a referral is received, we will notify the referring physician or nurse practitioner whether the referral has been accepted or denied, and if accepted we will provide an estimated wait time. This wait time can vary based on demand and urgency. Once we have an appointment spot to offer, our scheduling team will reach you by phone to schedule an appointment.

Yes, by the referral process described above.

For any emergency, call 911. This includes emergencies involving your child’s international adoption-related concerns.

• For patients who are being followed by the IAC: For patients who have seen a CHEO International Adoption Provider, call your nurse case manager or send a direct message to them through MyChart. This is not for urgent calls. Our nurses are here to give support, education and will work to coordinate your child’s care. It may take 3-5 days for us to get back to you (and sometimes longer during holidays). We will return the most serious calls first. Please avoid leaving multiple messages for the same issue.

• For patients who are waiting for their first visit with the IAC: Please do not call the nursing line if you have not yet been seen by a CHEO International Adoption Provider. Please call your family doctor, pediatrician or visit your nearest walk-in clinic for timely medical advice.

No, unfortunately at this time we are unable to provide this pre-adoption service.

Unfortunately, due to many potential changes in travel plans for families, this is not possible. We look forward to booking their first consultation with a referral, shortly after your return to Canada.

While our clinic’s services may be most helpful immediately after your child’s adoption, yes, we have accepted patient referrals after a period of time home. This also applies to re-referrals for past patients of the IAC who have been discharged from the clinic, for whom new issues have come up.

Please contact our clinic if you have a unique scenario to review.

Other information

If the child has been in Canada for some time, please include interim medical history under your care.