Covenant Pediatric
Wellness Center
The Faces of Pediatrics
Covenant Pediatric Wellness Center was born out of a lifelong commitment initiated by Dr. Sonia McGowin. Dr. McGowin opened Covenant in 2017 with a vision of creating a safe, nonjudgmental clinic.
Long before I became a pediatric chiropractor, my career started by supporting individuals with disabilities, mostly those with autism spectrum disorders. As my career and experience broadened, it became clear to me that there was a serious lack of effective and supportive care for kids with autism and their families. After the birth of my son, Roan, it further highlighted the fact that parents were in dire need for answers and effective solutions for their children with complex needs. The journey I shared with my now 18-year-old son gave me the desire to provide truly effective interventions for families impacted by autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions. This led me to start a second career when I started chiropractic college at age 38.
After obtaining my chiropractic credentials, I started strategizing about an effective model of intervention paired with nonjudgmental support for complex kids and families. I spent years becoming educated and experienced in functional nutrition, lab testing, and pediatric chiropractic. In 2017, I opened my own practice where I have built a reputation of demonstrating that kids with autism; ADD/HD; PANS/PANDAS; and other behavior, language, and socialization challenges can get better and become healthier through my own unique blend of methodologies.
Along my journey, I realized that patients and families needed a pediatrician who could look at them objectively, not be judgmental, and would be willing to look at options other than traditional medical therapies and medication. Dr. Hannah Strong, DO, filled just that need. Dr. Strong’s own experiences as both a mother and a pediatrician rounds out the milieu of care provided at our wellness center. Together, we as empowered doctors are able to address patients’ needs using both traditional and nontraditional methods in a way that is transformational.
One of the biggest challenges we face is the sheer number of kids with complex needs who are in need of specialized support. Dr. Kayla Neeper, DC, also joined our Covenant Pediatric Wellness Center team this year — first as a student doctor and then as an associate chiropractor. Dr. Neeper has advanced training in soft tissue techniques, including Kinesio tape strategies to support infants who are struggling to meet developmental milestones. She also has a special interest in athletes and dancers, offering both traditional and low-force methods of chiropractic.
Over the years, I have turned my own catch phrase “the why matters” into the cornerstone of what my staff and I strive for each day. Our dedicated team of professionals look for the “why” behind complex kids’ behaviors with the understanding that when we and family members know why a child has behavior, language, or socialization challenges, we can then address the root cause of their issues and not just put a Band-Aid on them. At Covenant Pediatric Wellness Center, we choose to provide hope and opportunities for families who have previously been told that there is little help for their children. My staff and I offer practical and innovative options for children so that they can achieve true health. My practice now includes a pediatrician, an associate chiropractor, a physical therapist, occupational therapist, and a lactation consultant to address the many needs of the complex kids and their families who walk through the doors.
For the future, our main goal is to continue developing our services. Our plans include offering an integrative PANS and PANDAS clinic and developing a training program for doctors interested in implementing a unique approach. At Covenant Pediatric Wellness Center we also hope to expand the center to include acupuncture, massage, and other holistic services to support the Mid-Missouri area.
Dr. Kayla Neeper, DC, Dr. Sonia McGowin, DC,
and Dr. Hannah Strong, DO
Covenant Pediatric Wellness Center:
2409 Hyde Park Rd., JCMO | (573) 635-6217 | covenantwellness.net