Journey to Wonderland: The Story Behind Starting Wonderland Pediatrics

Colleen Wallace, MD

My journey into private practice started not just as a pediatrician, but as a parent trying to navigate the healthcare system for my own child. I thought it would be a breeze—after all, I’m a doctor! I know exactly what to look for when choosing a pediatrician, right? Turns out, I was in for a humbling experience.

If you’ve ever dealt with the U.S. healthcare system, you know that parents don’t always call the shots—insurance companies do. My first challenge? Finding a pediatrician who was in-network. No problem, I thought—we can work with that. Our first pediatrician was wonderful, but part of a large health system, which meant endless phone trees, long waits for appointments, and hoops to jump through for referrals.

For our second child, we switched insurance plans, hoping for more flexibility. Spoiler alert: That didn’t help. The only available practices in our area were massive, and we never saw the same provider twice. Every visit felt like starting over.

Then came the real frustration—getting my son the care he needed. By age two, he had a significant speech delay—his vocabulary consisted of "mama," "dada," and, for some reason, "apple." We expressed our concerns to our pediatrician, who agreed he needed speech therapy and sent the referral. Great! Except…our insurance denied ongoing services. Their advice? “Wait it out.”

That didn’t sit well with us. We ended up paying out-of-pocket for private therapy and were fortunate to access Early Intervention services. With the right support, my son went from struggling to put words together to speaking in full sentences. Now, he’s a thriving fourth grader at a TAG school!

Through this process, one thought kept nagging me: If I—someone who knows the system—am this frustrated, what about parents who don’t have a medical background? How many families are struggling to get the care their children deserve?

That’s when the idea for my practice was born. I wanted to create a better experience for families—one where parents don’t have to fight to be heard, referrals aren’t a battle, and children get the care they need without jumping through insurance loopholes. And so, Wonderland Pediatrics was born.

Access to care is only half the battle when it comes to quality healthcare for children. Finding a provider who truly values children is just as important. In today’s fast-paced world, kids are often overlooked—not because people don’t care, but because children don’t always have the words to speak up for themselves. That’s why they need strong advocates—doctors who take the time to understand what’s really going on and how to help.

Pediatric care isn’t just about treating fevers, ear infections, or coughs. Many parents assume that if their child isn’t sick, then everything must be fine. But that’s not always true. Thanks to vaccines, we’ve dramatically reduced the severity of many childhood illnesses—but that doesn’t mean all is well.

As a pediatrician, I’ve done thousands of well-child visits, and let me tell you—those appointments often reveal issues parents hadn’t noticed yet. Things like bullying, early (or late) puberty, depression, anxiety, uncontrolled asthma, developmental delays, and autism can all show up long before they become a crisis. But if we’re only looking for fevers and sniffles, we’re missing the bigger picture.

A well-child check is one of those rare moments where the entire focus is on that child. And as a mother of four, I know how rare those moments can be. Life is busy. If it’s not scheduled, it won’t happen. But here’s the reality—problems that are caught early are much easier to manage than those that go undetected until adulthood.

That’s why pediatric care must be proactive, not reactive. Because every child deserves to be seen, heard, and cared for—beyond just when they’re sick. like most things, if it isn't scheduled, it won't happen. What we don't want is a child to enter adulthood with problems that would have been easier to address in a pediatric office versus than go on undetected until it reaches crisis level.

Over the years—especially during the pandemic—mental health has finally started getting the attention it deserves. And for good reason. According to the CDC, 1 in 5 children (ages 3-17) has a mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder. Anxiety and depression in adolescents have skyrocketed—up over 50% in the last decade.

Mental health is just as important as physical health. When either is out of balance, the effects can last a lifetime. But in many healthcare settings, 15-minute visits just aren’t enough to truly address these complex issues. There’s barely time to check in, let alone dig deeper into what’s really going on.

That’s why, in my practice, I’ve made a deliberate choice—longer visits, at least 30 minutes. This isn’t just about extra time; it’s about making space for real conversations, uncovering root causes, and creating a plan that actually helps—not just a quick fix. Because children’s mental and emotional well-being deserve more than a band-aid approach.

Community is at the heart of Wonderland Pediatrics. As a physician, I’ve had the privilege of connecting with families from all walks of life—each with their own unique backgrounds, experiences, and stories. It’s one of the greatest joys of my career, not just providing care, but truly being a part of their journey.

But great communities don’t just exist in exam rooms—they thrive when we come together, support each other, and share what we’ve learned. That’s why I’m working to build an online community for Wonderland Pediatrics—a space where parents can connect, ask questions, and learn from each other. Because when it comes to raising healthy, happy kids, we’re stronger together

As we look to the future, I hope to continue building Wonderland Pediatrics into a place where parents and children feel seen, supported, receive the best in evidence based medical care.

The journey of parenting is ongoing, much like our journey with Wonderland Pediatrics. It is filled with evolution, challenges, yet it holds the promise of joy and enlightenment. By continuously supporting each other, engaging in our community, and embracing the wellness of mind and body, we can pave the way toward a world where our children thrive.

Please join me on this empowering journey and sign up for updates from Wonderland Pediatrics. You will receive updates on the latest topics on child and adolescent wellness, evidence based recommendations on pediatric care, practice and personal updates.

Let’s continue to create a future where every child has access to compassionate health care and every parent feels empowered to nurture a healthy family. The key to thriving is connection—let's embrace it.

Dr. Wallace