My child had an evaluation about a month ago and we haven't heard a thing. So ended up trying to get in contact with this location multiple times no answer no return call. Was able to get a hold of the Santee location. Basically the employee that did our evaluation no longer works for the company, so no one picked up on our case and they told us they are now working on getting our results. Which I highly doubt. They also wanted us to go on a waitlist 2-3 months from now so in the long run we won't actually get our help 3-4 months. If I could give zero stars I would. read more

Kara Dodds and the team at the clinic have been incredible. My daughter was born prematurely and needed speech, occupational, and physical therapy. I've seen so much progress and improvement thanks to their expertise and compassionate care. The staff are amazing, and I would wholeheartedly recommend them. read more

The staff at this location is nice but they are TERRIBLE at scheduling and following up on meetings and appointments. It seems to me like they are overbooked and the kids here are just another number and will not be prioritized. It took me 3 weeks to get an evaluation because when I scheduled an appointment the person I spoke to didn't book it despite telling me she did so when I didn't get any appointment reminders I called to confirm and found out she never scheduled it. Then the other staff member I spoke to said she would look into it but she never did and I didn't hear back so I had to call back several days later to get it scheduled. Then we had an evaluation and they told us it takes 2 weeks to write a report and we needed to wait for the report to start sessions ,but again, I never got a notification of the report being completed so when I called over 3 weeks later I was told the person who did the evaluation left the company which is why there was a delay with her paperwork and she will need to get on a waitlist which can take 6-12 weeks to schedule an appointment. Again, their staffing was not in my control and I'm upset that no one ever bothered to notify us of the fact her evaluation specialist left and that it created a delay but they did not provide any updates regarding her evaluation. I will definitely be seeking another office to get my child the help she needs. I'm very frustrated and disappointed with the process and from feeling unimportant and disregarded. read more

AFTER 6 MONTHS OF NOT BEING A CUSTOMER, THIS COMPANY SUDDENLY SENT US A HUGE BILL -- TWO WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS. Instead of blindly paying it, I did what everyone should do -- I CALLED. And guess what? THE BILL IS NOT EVEN CORRECT. I OWE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Those words came directly from the same office that sent it out. They "automatically charge" every visit... so explain how a bill magically appears SIX MONTHS LATER when my son hasn't been a patient at all. I asked for the medical biller to call me. I'm still waiting. Apparently, I'm supposed to stop my job and wait around because they made a mistake. THIS IS NOT AN ACCIDENT. My son hasn't been seen there in over six months. Sending a massive bill right before Christmas feels DELIBERATE. I WILL be filing a complaint with the BBB. Double-check your bills. Ask questions. Don't let companies intimidate you into paying money you do NOT owe. read more

Wouldn't recommend this place, they used to be great and something changed, they do things like make there own recommendations without consulting parents, my son was thriving and they took away a day and said he couldn't come but once a week, so 1 30 minute session, used to take my son extra sessions bc he's not very verbal and they also took that away, this place is awful!!! Please run run far read more

We came to them for my little one's suspected Apraxia. A few sessions in, they met with me during one of the scheduled sessions, challenging what most SLP has diagnosed. Their conclusion is they will not treat it as such until he's met a minimum of 100 words. Regular speech therapy does not work with kids with Apraxia, so against everyone's assessment they will not treat him for the very thing that we went to them for...we immediately stopped going. read more

They ONLY reason I still come here for my son is because of Stephanie! My son started here and every session he would lay by the door waiting to get out. Now as soon as we exit the freeway he gets excited. He walks in alone with Stephanie and uses an iPad to make choices and plays with her! It's HUGE! My son does not interact with just anyone, let alone stay in a room! He's made such amazing HUGE strides because of Stephanie! She is so patient, kind and always follows through with him. It's been a truly amazing transformation. Thank you Stephanie! read more

Big takeaway: AVOID KARA DODDS AT ALL COSTS. Kara Dodds provides *medical* services - OT, PT and speech therapy. Yet, they have no interest in owning the responsibility that is incumbent upon a medical provider to create a safe or healthy space for children to thrive. If you're an anti-vaxxer, you'll be welcomed with open arms. We had the most horrifying conversation with the owner. She was adamant about staff not having to be vaccinated. Do you know what you DON'T want to tell a mother with high risk children? That your primary concern is protecting the privacy of your staff, not ensuring the health of high risk young children. I've never seen such a shocking example of rude, unprofessional, dangerous behavior in any medical environment. She was so busy ranting and raving about HIPAA, that I could barely get a word in edgewise. Which, is hysterical, because she clearly doesn't understand the definition or role of HIPAA. It is not a HIPAA violation for an employer to ask an employee's healthcare provider for proof of vaccination. It would be a HIPAA violation for the employee's *healthcare provider* to disclose that information to the employer unless the individual had provided authorization to do so. If this wasn't such a terrifying issue, it would be funny that she's so willfully ignorant, out of touch, untrained, and can't be bothered to be educated on regulation that does or does not pertain to her business. Her combatant, deranged, and immature personality does not belong in any medical environment, let alone one focused on pediatric care. Her horrifying display reflects not only on herself, but on the entire business. Sadly, this disturbing interaction took place after weeks of trying to get information from the practice, including getting them to check their referral line, return phone calls and find records of communication. We had to do repeat sends of our referral, even after getting confirmation that it had been sent by our pediatrician. Our call information had been lost. The poor admin seems to be overworked, and they appear to be understaffed. It doesn't surprise me, considering how inept the owner is. I had been warned by other parents and see it reflected in other reviews here. It all made sense after Kara's disgusting display. If you care for the overall health of your child and expect your child's healthcare provider to take basic steps to ensure a healthy environment for their patients (and also have a clue about what that consists of), I would highly recommend you find another provider. We were able to call several others in the area, and they were shocked and dismayed to hear about our experience with Kara Dodds. They quickly assured us and answered any and all questions we had about their COVID and safety precautions. They actually care about their patients. Kara is a self-serving anti-vaxxer who has no interest in the health of her patients. I urge you ... no, I BEG you to go anywhere BUT Kara Dodds. read more

Me and Jude have been seeing Shannon for quite some time now for physical therapy and can't recommend her enough. She's great with him and I love her as well! Easy location and check in is also easy, staff is always friendly. No complaints! read more

Our daughter has been going here for only about 3 months and we have seen so much progress! You can really tell each of her therapists have a passion for what they do and are very knowledgeable in their respective fields. I honestly feel like they care for my daughter and the progress she makes. I'm so happy to be a part of the Kara Dodds family and know it's the best place my little one can go to get the help she needs. Nicole, Tracy, Jenny, Bri you girls are amazing!! :) read more

I will always speak highly of Kara Dodds and Associates. They are so professional when it comes to treating my child. Our speech therapist is Lauren, and she's such a joy! My child connected with her immediately. Very personable and makes my child feel right at home. I saw an improvement in my child's speech and social skills only after a month of working with Lauren. I highly recommend! read more

My son has a speech delay and we have been coming to Kara Dodds for close to 10 months for speech therapy. Lauren Mann is the second speech pathologist we've worked with at Kara Dodds and she is absolutely wonderful. My son adores her, he is so excited to go see her every week. I can't say enough good things about her. Her approach during sessions is so positive and she engages both of us so that I can learn strategies to support my son too. She is attentive to how my son processes information and reacts to his needs in innovative ways while also pushing him to grow and improve. She has also talked to my son's day care teachers to collaborate on strategies to support him at school. She is so caring and we feel so fortunate to be working with her. read more

Katelyn Williams (Farr) has been my daughters COTA for over a year. We are so blessed to have her be a part of our journey with our daughter. The strides our daughter has made because of her constant guidance and tools she gives us has helped our daughter made make so much progress. Even after changing insurances we did not want to lose her, so we are now self pay and it is worth every penny. We are so thankful for her and look forward to our sessions every week. Next is Vanessa Bouey, my daughters SLP, we have been with her for a year and watching the improvements my daughter has made has been so amazing! The effort and care she gives into creating sessions to fit Blake is noticed every week. We are so thankful to both these amazing people who are in our daughters corner and who care so much and share in our successes along the way for our daughter. read more

COVID exposure and dishonesty My daughter has been going to KD for months for physical therapy. Almost nobody wears a mask in there. The PT called me on Monday because she tested positive for covid the day after we met up and she wanted to let me know. She mentioned however that the company DIDN'T WANT HER TO TELL us that she had COVID. A couple minutes later, the The office called so cancel her appointment, when I asked if everything was okay they said "it has nothing to do with COVID". I exchanged emails with Kara and she assured me of several safety protocols that I know they do not take. This might be sufficient for the law currently, but I would expect more from a company dedicated to the well-being of children. Fortunately, the physical therapist did the right thing but I can't say the same for Kara Dodds. read more

Great gym area for occupational therapy, my son loves it and enjoys going to see his therapist, Alyssa. The speech therapy is done in a small office and there are lots of toys to play with. The sessions are play based and for a three year old, therapy his playing. Trust in the process, you will see progress eventually, as I have seen with my son. My son enjoys seeing his speech therapist as well, Mai. I had one erroneous bill, which was cleared up right away. read more

We love our therapist, Bri. She's so warm and welcoming, really knowledgeable, and explains things well. It's been easy to follow the treatment plan she made for my daughter. The organization management could be better. I've been billed for weeks we didn't attend. I do get follow up calls when I request so that's convenient for me. I was disappointed to hear about their vaccination and recent mask update. Kids need to continue getting the services they need, usually vulnerable kids, without their safety being compromised. It's up to us adults to keep all the kids around us, whether they belong to us or not, safe. Just a note for other parents, normalize asking your child's care team if they are vaccinated. If the owner won't answer, ask the professionals themselves. It's ok to ask so that you can make the best decision for your kids. It's ok to ask for vaccinated providers only. read more

My son has seen several speech therapists over a year and all of them are amazing! He can't wait to see Ms Lauren and Ms Leah every week. I really appreciate how they have been working hard to improve his speech. I also want to mention that Ms Valerie is an amazing therapist too. All of the therapist there are awesome! read more

Lauren is the BEST speech therapist here @ Kara Dodds. She is so vibrant full of energy and my son loves her dearly. She embodies a professional, can do attitude and is enjoyable to be around. It's because of Lauren we bring our son to this location and we enjoy every minute of our time with her. Lauren you ROCk!! read more

We have been seeing Ms. Haley for just over 6 months now, and my son has made such an improvement in his communication! He loves going to see her, and gets so excited when he knows we are headed to his speech appointments. I'm so thankful that she has been helping us, and even more so that she's so in tune with his development. We have a lot less meltdowns and a lot more smiles. read more

Maggie Bauer has provided our autistic 4 year old with online OT services for some time now and she has done an excellent job in a challenging format. the Kara Dodds staff is always professional, courteous, and flexible. read more

My daughter has been receiving services from Kara Dodds in Santee for almost a year now, and we have had nothing but positive experiences. My daughter looks forward to seeing Miss Reagan for speech and Miss Maggie for Occupational Therapy each week and always enjoys her sessions. Miss Reagan and Miss Maggie have been very attentive to her needs and I appreciate how they the collaborate with not only myself but with each other to ensure that she is getting the best support possible in working toward her goals. My daughter has made huge gains in her speech and language development and OT goals in the past several months, and we owe it all to her awesome therapists! read more

My son's OT is the best ! We've been seeing Ms. Katelyn in the Santee office for a while now and my son Jesiah loves her. She's fun, patient and full of knowledge. We'll be so sad if she leaves! read more

Absolutely love Kara Dodds. Maggie B is both of my kiddos OT therapist she is wonderful. Always keeps me updated with my kids goals and always willing to give a listening ear. My kids are both thriving because of her amazing work. Can't imagine where both kids would be without your attention and willingness to see them thrive. Thank you Maggie & Kara Dodds. read more

I cannot express how much we love Kara dodds! My son went from nonverbal to verbal! He's trying so hard to communicate now. His OT therapy and Speech therapy team is so amazing! They give me notes and tips on what I can do at home with him to thrive! We've seen nothing but amazing results. We switched from small talk to Kara dodds and we have noticed such a difference. The scheduling team, therapists and management has been phenomenal. Can't wait to watch my son thrive more read more

When you are feeling overwhelmed with assessments, ASD dx as well as speech for not just one but both of your toddlers, the last thing you should have to deal with is a company who seemingly does not want to assist you. I have been in customer service for over 20 years and the lack of consideration I received here is unacceptable. I was referred here through Kaiser and Easterseals since my daughter needs speech 2xweek for 60 min. After dealing with someone who was condescending and adamant about making sure she was right, I really don't see how these first impressions should make me want to spend my $ here? If I can't seem to get some courteous and more attentive service, how do I know my daughter will be treated accordingly? I'd rather not put her or myself through that trial. Hopefully the owners can take a look at how their front end has deterred a potential client. read more

I cannot say enough wonderful things about the many speech therapists they have at Kara Dodds. My son has been going there since the summer of 2018 and he has made remarkable strides in his speech and we have really enjoyed each therapist he has seen. With that said, the communication beyond therapist to parent is horrible! Ownership, facility managers, and accounting are just not able to communicate at all.... I have even been contacted by accounting for dues after my co-pay went up by $5 in November and was not told my co-pay changed until I got a bill in March! All co-pays are paid the day of sessions.... And they have even not recorded payments and I have had to go find the dates and amounts in my checking account. There are also issues with facilities at times but the lack of communication is just ridiculous. But again, the therapists are wonderful and we have had many as most do not stay too long and I think that speaks to the ownership. read more

Please do not use services at Kara Dodds and Associates if you struggle financially. Even if your insurance tells you that the service *is* covered, AND Kara Dodds also states that they have cleared it with the insurance company, your claims may still all be denied, just as all of ours were. I saw a review saying this by another parent before taking my son to Kara Dodds, and at the time I just assumed they didn't understand their insurance coverage well. And then, five months after beginning weekly services with Kara Dodds, they finally told me that all of my claims had been denied. They should have informed me at the time of the first denial so that I could have made an informed choice about continuing services at full price. But they did not. I am a single mother who works full time and I struggle monthly to pay for our basic needs. Now I have another huge bill to contend with from Kara Dodds. The finance staff at Kara Dodds stated that as long as I could pay something each month, I could pay them back as I was able. I made a couple of payments and then received a statement that said that they are now going to charge me interest on the overdue amount. Other aspects of their customer service really need work. I asked for my son's evaluation four or five times before I finally received it. They had emailed it to the wrong email address. So some stranger now has been emailed a copy of my son's file! I am livid about that. read more

Overall the therapists there are amazing! We love Cindy and Anna!! They always take their time to explain our child's progress and tells us what we need to work on. I would give a 5 star no doubt, but the only thing keeping me from it is the lack of communication from the front office to the therapists. I've had to cancel a few appointments and I leave voicemails early enough for them to relay the message, but end up getting calls from the therapists wondering where we are. It's quite frustrating for me and I'm sure for the therapists as well. read more

My son has been going here since 2012 and he's made remarkable progress with his speech. I like that every session has metrics and goals that they try to meet so that at the end of the month or at the end of the year, you can really see how far advanced my son's speech has come along. Before Kara Dodds, we had a different speech therapist at a different clinic and each session seemed more like playtime than speech therapy. It was really hard to tell if my son got any kind of benefit from watching him play with toys for 45 minutes. Anyways, minus one star for having my son paired with a violent kid during one session which ended with that kid punching my kid. There was supposedly two therapists present and neither saw what happened. Not the kind of situation you want to have happen to a child who has to tell me exactly what happened...when he's still developing his speech. read more

My son has blossomed since starting with Kara Dodds in December. He was diagnosed with Autism, and although he is verbal, his speech delay is significant and he has always had strong echolalic speech. My son sees Amanda and Carrie. We have seen a variety of speech therapists in the past few months and they've all been wonderful. The office is extremely well-organized and they always call to reschedule or help us get make-up sessions when we have to cancel. If anything, the only issue here is they are so good that they do have long waitlists for certain time frames and for seeing a specific therapist (for example, waiting for bi-lingual therapist, or a specific person you heard about). Very thankful to them for helping my son communicate with us, that is something that is just priceless. read more

The actual speech and OT therapists my son saw where lovely and sweet people that truly cared. The company though and the people that run it and handle billing are complete jerks. The charged us constantly for missed appointments that we had made, they didn't tell us when they stopped taking full payment from insurance and started billing us so we received a random bill for several hundred dollars and even though it's been over a year we are STILL getting bills from them even though we have payed them multiple times. When I called and talked to the billing lady she was very condescending and didn't care about what I had to say. I highly recommend finding another business. read more

Absolutely the best ! My kiddos love coming here so much that they cry leaving. Our Physical therapist is Kelsey, she is beyond amazing. Her treatment technique and disposition is so reassuring and radiant, the kids love "playing" with her and learning new things. Not only are they getting exceptional treatment for their PT needs, she is so skilled with dealing with their behaviors. So calm, patient and understanding- we couldn't ask for more. Thanks for everything ! read more

Held appointment times without cancellation. Friendly staff and detailed evaluations. Thank you.

We took our son who is Autistic to Kara Dodds for speech therapy for over a year. The actual speech therapist were very nice and worked with him great. The 1 star is for the actual therapist who were very sweet and dealt with my son accordingly. For the first 6 months the Regional Center paid for the therapy and then we were informed that they would no longer cover the funding. I spoke with Cassandra who stated that my insurance (Bluecross/Blueshield) wold cover the entire funding. When I attempted to make a co-payment I was told not to worry about it. This is were the takes an unexpected turn to Crazyland!!! Well 6 months later we get a bill in the mail from Kara Dodds for over $1,500 that stated the bill needed to be paid in full within 30 days. I was shocked and when I spoke with Cassandra she told me that she had emailed me previous bills (a lie) and left voice messages on my home phone (another lie). when I told Cassandra that I didn't even have a home phone just a cell she said " well I know the number belonged to you because your were talking on the voice-mail." Complete lie #2 as I didn't even have a voice message on my cell. When I questioned Cassandra about my insurance she stated that they had denied paying for services rendered. I then contacted my insurance and they told me they had received an initial request for payment 6 months prior but when they requested documentation from Kara Dodds they never received or heard from Kara Dodds again. After the 30 days mentioned in the bill i received a certified letter from an attorney in Arizona stating if the bill was not paid in full I was going to be taken to small claims court. NIGHTMARE as we struggle to make due since I am the sole provider and my wife stays home to take care of my boy. When I mentioned this to the attorney and explained to him that we had never been informed my insurance was not covering the services he just stated the Kara Dodds was a small business and also needed to get paid. After going back and forth with Kara Dodds and my insurance I ended up having to fax and mail my insurance provider the required documents (that Kara Dodds never did) and they paid their portion of the bill soon after. I still owed over $300.00 in co-pays which I paid. This experience was EXTREMELY frustrating. I have never bothered to write a review on anything, but as i look for a new speech therapist and their reviews online I came across a few negative reviews for Kara Dodds on city search. Be FORWARNED... link to other reviews http://sandiego.citysearch.com/profile/40026927/san_diego_ca/kara_dodds_assoc.html read more

Confidentiality is thrown out the window. Therapists give updates of session in the lobby in front of all the waiting families. Most speech therapists are fresh from grad school and have limited experience. They seem to have a revolving door with staff because it's the walmart for speech therapy. read more

I cannot thank Kara and Karen enough for all they have done for my family. They have gone above and beyond. It literally means the world. Kara Dodd's and Associates have worked with us and done so much more than they have had to do for my kids. Providing extra support and blessing us with an abundance of patience, kindness and understanding. We are forever thankful! Keep doing what you're doing. You make a big difference in many lives. read more

Im so happy my provider found this place for us, my son loves Kelsey, Amanda and now because his schedule he is working with Hylan. My son loves them so much his improvement from last year to this year is been amazing thanks to them. They are so sweet and the rest of the staff is incredible amazing they always trying to work with your schedule. read more

We are so grateful and appreciative of Kara Dodds, for her work is beyond measure. Kara provided speech and language therapy for my nephew and he made significant strides as a result. She is a skilled and talented therapist who has a vested interest in their success and their lives. I would highly recommend her and her associates to any family in need. read more

I was recently referred to Kara Dodds & Associates by a good friend. I am now forever grateful to that friend. KDA have the BEST therapists and their customer service is so family friendly. Kara Dodds have been so helpful meeting my child's needs. They basically ROCK!!! Thank you!!!! read more

We are a military family and have lived in 3 States in the past 4 years. As we moved around we have experienced other Speech and language companies, and now have a better perspective on the services we received while living in San Diego. Kara Dodds is a hard working knowledgeable professional who is always teaching and learning about her profession. Her staff are well trained, and up to date on the most current modalities and therapies. My daughter has severe Autism and apraxia and these two diagnosis make it very difficult to get any speech from her. At Kara Dodds and Associates they were able to get the most speech output from her to date, and it was no easy task. Thank you Kara for all of your hard work and dedication to our kiddos! read more