Covenant Pediatrics

12/11/2025

2025 in Review: The Science (& Hope!) Behind Recovering Complex Kids

We’ve covered a lot this year—from PANS/PANDAS to oxidative stress, low cholesterol, oral restrictions, and more.

Now, it’s time to bring it all together.

Join Dr. Sonia on December 12 for our final webinar of 2025—a deep dive into how each system connects, and how recovery really happens when we address the why.

Reserve your spot now! https://thewhymatters.net/webinar-series

12/11/2025

🎅Sensitive Santa Returns to Covenant!🎅

Mark your calendars for Saturday, December 13, 2025—our beloved Sensitive Santa event is back at Covenant Wellness!
Learn more about our Sensitive Santa event: https://covenantwellness.net/sensitivesanta

This FREE, sensory-friendly celebration is perfect for children who need a calmer, more relaxed Santa experience:

✅ Low lights & gentle sounds
✅ No lines or crowds—by appointment only
✅ One-on-one time with Santa for magical holiday memories

📍 Where: Covenant Wellness, 2409 Hyde Park Rd, Jefferson City, MO

🗓 When: Saturday, December 13, 2025, from 9am until noon
Click this link to reserve your time with Santa: https://sensitivesanta.as.me/

Let’s make this holiday season calm, bright, and unforgettable for every child.

12/10/2025

We are feeling the Christmas spirit at Covenant 🙂🎄!

12/10/2025

Safe Toys and Gifts Month was started by the organization Prevent Blindness. The goal is to remind parents and caregivers about safe, age-appropriate toys—especially for children under three. During the gift-giving month of December, protect children by reviewing all toys and looking for potential dangers.

12/09/2025

Alpha-GAL Syndrome: What It Is (and Why It’s So Confusing)

If you or your child developed strange reactions to foods that were once tolerated—especially beef, pork, or dairy—Alpha-GAL Syndrome may be part of the picture.

Alpha-GAL is a tick-borne condition triggered most often by the Lone Star tick. The bite can cause the immune system to become reactive to a sugar molecule (alpha-gal) found in mammal-based foods and products.

What makes Alpha-GAL especially confusing is how symptoms show up.

Unlike typical food allergies that cause immediate reactions, Alpha-GAL reactions are often delayed by 2–8 hours. This delayed response is why many families go years without answers—or are told “it doesn’t look like an allergy.”

Common symptoms can include:

• Hives or rashes
• Abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea
• Reflux or vomiting
• Headaches
• Flushing or itching
• Fatigue or brain fog
• Anxiety or sleep disruption
• Histamine-type reactions without a clear cause

Under the surface, Alpha-GAL is driven by mast cell activation and immune dysregulation, which helps explain why symptoms can feel unpredictable or system-wide.

If this feels familiar, you’re not imagining it—and you’re not alone. Alpha-GAL often overlaps with other complex issues, including tick-borne illness, gut imbalance, and chronic inflammation.

A deeper understanding of why the immune system is reacting is the first step toward feeling better.

✨ If you suspect Alpha-GAL may be playing a role for you or your child, we’re happy to help you explore it further.

12/08/2025

New Blog!

From Infection to Inflammation—How Hidden Triggers Drive PANS, PANDAS, and Beyond

For many parents, the story starts the same way. A child who was once thriving suddenly changes—anxiety skyrockets, handwriting disappears, sleep becomes restless, and eating turns into a battle. It seems to come out of nowhere … until you look deeper.

At Covenant Wellness, we see this pattern every day in children with PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) and PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal infection)—and increasingly in kids whose symptoms look similar but don’t fit traditional labels.

Read more: https://thewhymatters.net/how-hidden-triggers-drive-pans-pandas

For many parents, the story starts the same way. A child who was once thriving suddenly changes—anxiety skyrockets, handwriting disappears, sleep becomes restless, and eating turns into a battle. It seems to come out of nowhere … until you look deeper.

12/07/2025

✨ Special Saturday Appointments Available! ✨

Dr. Lacey Mays will be offering chiropractic appointments on Saturday, 12/20/25, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.—a rare opportunity for families and adults who can’t easily get in during the week.

✅ Chiropractic adjustments
✅ New patient chiropractic appointments
✅ Pediatric, prenatal, and adult care

If scheduling during the workweek is tricky, this is your chance to get on the calendar without rearranging your entire life.

📅 Saturday, December 20 (9 a.m.–2 p.m.)

📞 Call the office to schedule—spots are limited.

12/06/2025

Let’s talk about IASTM—a powerful soft tissue technique we use to help the body move and heal better.

Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) uses specialized tools to gently detect and treat restrictions in muscles, fascia, tendons, and scar tissue. The goal?

✔ Break up adhesions
✔ Improve circulation
✔ Restore mobility
✔ Support faster, more complete healing

IASTM is especially helpful for:

• Chronic muscle tightness or trigger points
• Tendinitis & tendinopathy (Achilles, rotator cuff, tennis elbow, and more)
• Scar tissue after injury or surgery
• Neck, back, and shoulder pain
• Sports injuries like strains, shin splints, and plantar fasciitis
• Overuse issues like IT band syndrome and bursitis

If pain, stiffness, or limited range of motion is slowing you down, IASTM may be a great addition to your care.

📅 Ready to feel the difference?

Book an appointment with our team today.

12/06/2025

It's National Handwashing Awareness Week

Hands collect a lot of germs throughout the day, so washing them is the easiest way to prevent the transfer of bacteria and viruses. Washing your hands with soap breaks down and removes germs before they can enter your body.

Washing hands is the most effective way to reduce the spread of disease.

Unwashed hands spread 80% of infectious diseases.

Proper handwashing lasts at least 20 seconds.

To avoid infection, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Stop outbreaks by washing hands at work, school, and healthcare facilities.

Keep food safe by washing your hands before cooking.

12/04/2025

When your child is struggling, it can feel impossible to know who to trust—or what truly helps.

For our December Facebook Live, Dr. Sonia McGowin sits down with her friend and fellow autism expert Terri Hirning for an honest, science-grounded conversation rooted in lived experience.

Both Terri and Dr. Sonia are biomedical clinicians.

Both are moms.

Both have walked the road of raising complex kids—and have seen real recovery.

This conversation isn’t about quick fixes or promises. It’s about understanding the biology beneath behaviors, the paths that actually move kids forward, and why asking better questions changes everything.

If you’re raising a complex child—and you’re still searching for answers—you won’t want to miss this.

📍 Facebook Live
🕰️December 15 @ 1 p.m. central
📌 Open to parents and professionals

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/16SrRptBGQ/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/SE5jhrKs-Tg?si=JBrkkBu0ZJLLh3Pc