Absences / Termination of Services
We value our families, and understand that illnesses and emergencies happen at times. In case of illness or emergency, families are required to contact their child’s their therapist to cancel treatment prior to the scheduled appointment. Please give at least 24 hours notice of cancellation when possible. Therapists needing to cancel their scheduled appointments with families will also provide 24 hours notice prior to the appointment when possible.
Following three missed appointments, The Therapy Tree, LLC may charge cancellation fees of $30.00 per missed appointment, or consider the option of terminating services.
General Guidelines For Cancellation
Illness: If your child has any of the following symptoms, please cancel your appointment. This also applies if any members of the household show any of the following symptoms when the therapist provides treatment in the home.
- Fever of 100 degrees or higher, diarrhea, or vomiting within 24 hours of treatment time
- Serious sneezing or coughing, especially with mucous present
- Watering / mattering eyes, discharge from ears
- Runny nose when discharge is NOT clear
- When child or member of household is exposed to serious childhood illnesses like chickenpox, measles, hand/foot/mouth disease, RSV, etc.
- Unusual spots, rashes, or bruises not associated with injury
- Sore throat or difficulty swallowing
- Unusual behavior, child does not feel well enough to participate in normal activities
Weather
In case of inclement weather, please call the office main line at 847.265.7300 and check our website. A message will be recorded announcing if The Therapy Tree is closed due to weather. Typically, if Lake Villa / Lindenhurst District 41 is closed due to weather, then The Therapy Tree will also be closed. Whenever the clinic remains open, please call to cancel your appointment if weather conditions prevent your child from attending your scheduled appointment.
Photographic and Video Policy
For the purposes of planning therapy, evaluating progress, training and education of families and staff, advertising on our website, success stories at health fairs, etc. occasionally The Therapy Tree, LLC takes photographs and/or videos.
There is a release in the New Patient Intake Packet that allows you to consent to or decline your child appearing in any videos or photos.
Touch and Holding Policy
During the course of therapy, it may be necessary for a therapist to touch or hold (containment) your child. Whenever the touch or holding takes place, caregivers will be present. If at any point in the course of therapy a caregiver does not think that such physical contact with your child is in his/her best interests, we notify the therapist of your concerns. Holding or touching a child is done for various therapeutic reasons including:
- Helping your child to relax
- Containing or regulating anxiety
- Helping your child focus
- Helping your child to feel empathy and understanding for any distress
If your child has difficulty dealing with stress or frustrations and often responds with tantrums, rage, out-of-control actions, then it is possible that any stress occurring in therapy will elicit similar reactions. Perhaps at that time, the therapist will also hold and touch your child, or may ask you to do so, for the purpose of regulating the anxiety your child is feeling. Containment may occur at those times under the following conditions:
- Only when it can be done guaranteeing physical safety to your child
- Only with empathy and understanding
- Only as slong as necessary for the child to re-establish self-regulation
- Only for the purposes of containing anxiety
The consent forms for touching and holding is also in the New Patient Intake Packet. You may consent, deny, or consent and withdraw consent at any time.
