William O Walker, MD
Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics, Cerebral Palsy Program
On staff since July 2023
Children's Title: Division Chief, Neurodevelopmental Program
Academic Title: Professor, Pediatrics
Research Center: Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development
"I take a "whole child" and a "whole family" view with every visit. Though I can't necessarily explain why a child has a disability, I can help solve practical concerns families have about caring for their child right now. I rarely "cure" or "fix" the disorder, but I can promise the family that I am in it with them for the long haul. I carry around a bag of bells and blocks and crayons, I draw on whiteboards and play tic-tac-toe and I give high (and low) fives multiple times every day and no one thinks that is odd at all. I laugh and cry with the patients and their families and am grateful that I can do both."
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Many years ago after other doctors tried, Dr. Walker initiated treatment that helped for my 5 year old son who was on the autism spectrum. The result was that we were able to enroll our son in school -- a main stream school! Dr. Walker traveled over a hundred miles to support our community in central Washington! Now my son is twenty. Many thanks to Dr. W!
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All 3 of my children have been patients of Dr. Walker. I can't say enough about how I feel about him. As a parent with 2 children with Autism and another who was developmentally delayed, I felt I was drowning. Dr. Walker to the time to listen and understand my children and what they needed. He took a broken mother and made her feel empowered and have her hope. He really does listen and care. We have been seeing him for almost 12 years now. Not once did I feel as if he wasn't doing everything in his power to help my kiddos. What an amazing gift he is to those who need him the most. Thank you Dr. Walker for giving us the care and concern that you have. We've come so far with these little ones and I owe most of it to you.
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I guess you could say I've loved people especially medical staff all my life; always love seeing all doctors that care for me Dr. Walker is by far an amazing doctor. I was diagnosed with osteomyelitis in 2012, He heard I was in so he came and said hi.
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My daughter has been going to Dr. Walker since the day she was born as she was born with Spina Bifida. I couldn't ask for a better Doctor for my daughter. He is the VERY best. We look forward to our visits with him. He treats our family great and is ALWAYS there if we need anything at all, along with his nurses. Absolutely wonderful.
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Wow, Dr. Walker has a great bedside manner. He was so gentle with our baby and she really seemed to respond to him. I feel very comfortable that her truely wants the best for his patients. He seems so knowlegable and is so helpful at giving us skills to manage our baby's disease.
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Dr.Walker is a WONDERFUL doctor! He has a great positive attitude, listens to all your concerns and never rushes his appointments!. He has a wonderful bed side manner and is one of the best doctors i have ever seen! I'm so grateful my son and I have him looking over my sons journey with Autism! I highly recommend him!
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Dr Walker loves his job, he loves his patients and their families. He has a heart made of gold. After seeing him we always leave hopefull and informed. He is a true gem and we are thankful that God provided him as a doctor for our grandson! God bless you Dr Walker! and Thank you so much for all you do!
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One of the best doctors I have ever meet. He truely approaches things in a whole child and whole family aspect. Not just in the doctors office by in real world as well.
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Our daughter has been a patient of Dr. Walker since she was 2yrs old and she is now 11yrs old. He is so so kind and sweet and caring to your child and to the families. He is correct when he says he looks at the "Whole Child and family" that's exactly what he does!! We are so grateful for his time and compassion he does for children like our daughter! Our family consider him like family now cause he just takes the time to understand the whole picture and don't put a lable on everything which is really nice when children these days are being lable for everything! We love you Dr. Walker and God bless you :) Thank you, McKay- Feigert family
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Award Name Award Description Awarded By Award Date Seattle Top Doctor - 2019 Seattle Magazine 2019 SEATTLE'S TOP DOCTOR - 2018 Seattle Magazine 2018 SEATTLE'S TOP DOCTOR - 2017 Seattle Magazine 2017 SEATTLE'S TOP DOCTOR - 2016 Seattle Magazine 2016 Duncan Award Seattle Children's Hospital 2013 U.S. News Top Doctor U.S. News and World Report 2012 Seattle Magazine Top Doctor - 2012 Seattle Magazine Top Doctor - 2012 Seattle Magazine 2012 Robert a. Aldrich Endowed Professorship in Birth Defects and Mental Retardation 2011 Outstanding Teacher Award University of Washington Pediatric Residency Program 2005 BG George J Brown Mentor's Cube Madigan Army Medical Center 2000 Outstanding Teacher Award, Family Practice Residency Program Martin Army Community Hospital Jan 1, 1982 Resident Essay Competition Winner, Texas Pediatric Society Texas Pediatric Society Jan 1, 1982 Phi Beta Kappa, Tulane University Tulane University Jan 1, 1975 -
Other Publications
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Sawin KJ, Liu T, Ward E, Thibadeau J, Schechter MS, Soe MM, Walker W, NSBPR Coordinating CommitteeThe National Spina Bifida Patient Registry: profile of a large cohort of participants from the first 10 clinics.
25444012 The Journal of pediatrics, 2015 Feb. : 166(2)444-50.e1 -
Sawin KJ, Liu T, Ward E, Thibadeau J, Schechter MS, Soe MM, Walker W, NSBPR Coordinating CommitteeThe National Spina Bifida Patient Registry: profile of a large cohort of participants from the first 10 clinics.
25444012 The Journal of pediatrics, 2015 Feb. : 166(2)444-50.e1 -
Apkon SD, Grady R, Hart S, Lee A, McNalley T, Niswander L, Petersen J, Remley S, Rotenstein D, Shurtleff H, Warner M, Walker WO JrAdvances in the care of children with spina bifida.
25037124 Advances in pediatrics, 2014 Aug. : 61(1)33-74 -
Cohen AR, Couto J, Cummings JJ, Johnson A, Joseph G, Kaufman BA, Litman RS, Menard MK, Moldenhauer JS, Pringle KC, Schwartz MZ, Walker WO Jr, Warf BC, Wax JR, MMC Maternal-Fetal Management Task ForcePosition statement on fetal myelomeningocele repair.
24055581 American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 2014 Feb. : 210(2)107-11 -
Doherty D and Walker Jr. WONeural Tube Defects
Encyclopedia of the Neurological Sciences, 2nd edition, 2014 : 3360-365 -
Bjornson K, Kobayashi A, Zhou C, Walker WRelationship of therapy to postsecondary education and employment in young adults with physical disabilities.
21552083 Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy Association, 2011 : 23(2)179-86 -
Glew GM, Frey KS, Walker WOBullying update: are we making any progress?
20810698 Pediatrics in review / American Academy of Pediatrics, 2010 Sept. : e68-74 -
Walker WO JrDiscrepancies in health care funding for individuals with special needs.
21791846 Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicine, 2010 : 3(3)159-62 -
Shurtleff DB, Walker WO, Duguay S, Peterson D, Cardenas DObesity and myelomeningocele: anthropometric measures.
21061901 The journal of spinal cord medicine, 2010 : 33(4)410-9 PMCID:PMC2964030 -
Zinner SH, Walker WOChapter 15: Child and Adolescent Development and Behavior
Oxford American Handbook of Pediatrics, 2009 : 627-662 -
Cardenas DD, Topolski TD, White CJ, McLaughlin JF, Walker WOSexual functioning in adolescents and young adults with spina bifida.
18164327 Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 2008 Jan. : 31-5 -
Johnson KL, Dudgeon B, Kuehn C, Walker WAssistive technology use among adolescents and young adults with spina bifida.
17194874 American journal of public health, 2007 Feb. : 97(2)330-6 PMCID:PMC1781409 -
Walker WO, Johnson CPChapter 11: Cognitive and Adaptive Disabilities
Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics: Evidence and Practice, 2007 -
Johnson CP, Walker WO Jr, Palomo-González SA, Curry CJMental retardation: diagnosis, management, and family support.
16564466 Current problems in pediatric and adolescent health care, 2006 April : 126-65 -
Davis BE, Shurtleff DB, Walker WO, Seidel KD, Duguay SAcquisition of autonomy skills in adolescents with myelomeningocele.
16542511 Developmental medicine and child neurology, 2006 April : 253-8 -
Johnson CP, Walker WOMental Retardation: Management and Prognosis
Pediatrics in Review, 2006 : (249-256) -
Johnson CP, Walker WO, Gonzalez S, Curry CJMental Retardation: Diagnosis, Management and Family Support
Current Problems in Pediatrics and Adolescent Health Care, 2006 : 126-165 -
Walker WO, Johnson CPMental Retardation: Overview and Diangosis
Pediatrics in Review, 2006 : 204 - 212 -
Shurtleff DB, Sobkowiak C, Walker WChapter 25Transition/Separation, Toilet Training and Sexuality
Neural Tube Defects: from Origin to Treatment, 2005
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Presentations Title Event Location Date Intellectual Disabilities WWAMI Visiting Lectureship Bellingham, WA Dec 1, 2009 Bowel and Bladder Continence Programs: Improving the Quality of Life 36th National Spina Bifida Conference Orlando, FL Jun 1, 2009 Beyond Structure and Function: Activity and Participation in Persons with Disabilities Center for Integrative Brain Research Kick-Off Seattle Research Institute, Seattle Jan 1, 2009 -
Grant Title Grantor Amount Award Date Seattle Children’s Hospital Spina Bifida Registry Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention $108,803.00 Oct 1, 2009 The Relationship of School-Based Therapy Services on Transition to Adulthood American Physical Therapy Association $31,142.00 Jul 1, 2009
Overview
- Board Certification(s)
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Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics
- Medical/Professional School
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Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
- Residency
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William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, TX
- Fellowship
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William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, TX
- Clinical Interests
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Myelomeningocele, hydrocephalus, developmental delay, cerebral palsy, autism, spina bifida
- Research Description
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Currently, there is a particular emphasis on defining effective methods to identify and measure outcomes of specific interventions implemented by a variety of medical providers and disciplines. As part of this effort, serial prospective data collected over the past forty years as part of routine care and maintained in an IRB approved database is being analyzed to establish baseline standards for future comparisons. In conjunction with the Division of Pediatric Urology, the timing and effectiveness of various methods of bowel and bladder management are the current focus. The development of common definitions of continence across several institutions and projects will, hopefully, better establish some common ground for comparison and implementation. There are ongoing discussions with the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery regarding potential overlap with their interest in hydrocephalus, a frequently associated condition in children with neural tube defects. Shunt management and treatment of shunt infections are areas of potential future collaboration. The hope is that these efforts will favorably impact the success of individuals with spina bifida in achieving functional independence and a successful transition to an adult model of care.
The focus of my research efforts is the study and evaluation of neural tube defects and related conditions; it is almost exclusively clinical at this time and represents approximately 10percent of my work effort. In the past several years, I have had the opportunity to participate in both single and multisite projects sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Association of University Centers on Disability, which have addressed issues related to quality of life, its definition and measurement. This has allowed us to develop networks within the University of Washington (Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Center for Disability Policy and Research) as well as with other institutions (Oregon Health Sciences University, Children?s Hospital Los Angeles). Projects addressing the effect of lesion level on employment status, the economic impact of multidisciplinary clinics, and the accessibility of appropriate technology to this population have been presented and discussed at national and international meetings. - Research Focus Area
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Chronic Conditions / Special Health Care Needs