A Lifetime Of Challenges

By Genoa Barrow | OBSERVER Senior Staff Writer Theodore Walker’s mental health journey began before he took his first breath.& “I was born with a prenatal injury,” Walker says. “There was a prenatal rupture of the amniotic sac. That’s what led to me having developmental disabilities.” The circumstances of Walker’s birth led to a lifetime of challenges, including frontal lobe damage and multiple – albeit delayed – mental health diagnoses. These challenges have deeply impacted his life today at age 63. “I was diagnosed with ADHD at a very young age, which caused damage to the frontal lobe portion of my brain and caused me to have impaired executive functions,” Walker says. ADHD, which stands for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is a common neurodevelopmental disorder usually diagnosed in childhood. Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention and controlling impulsive behaviors. Impaired executive functions disrupt a person’s abilities to pay attention, remember details, multitask, problem-solve, process information, think abstractly, organize, and strategize.& “It is a disorder that’s problematic in every aspect of my life. It affects academics, esteem, socialization, and vocation,” Walker says. Walker has difficulty maintaining employment, as staying focused and multitasking are hard for him. “I have not held a...