FNS treatment: understanding what your body is telling you

Yes, FNS can occur in combination with both autism and chronic pain. However, it is important to distinguish between a possible association and a direct causal link.

At JongStressVRIJ, it is therefore important not only to look at FNS complaints, but also at the client's development, sensory processing, physical complaints, stress load, and personal life history. For children, we also take into account the family situation and support provided by parents.

FNS and autism

Research shows that autism is more common in people with FNS than previously thought. Sensory processing, recognizing body signals, and managing emotions may require attention. The precise relationship between autism and FNS is still being investigated.

FNS and chronic pain

FNS can be accompanied by chronic pain, fatigue, and other physical complaints. These symptoms can influence each other and reduce daily capacity. It is important to take physical complaints seriously and have them medically assessed if necessary.

At JongStressVRIJ, we incorporate this interconnectedness into the treatment plan. We look at what the client needs to better regulate stimuli and stress, recognize body signals, and gain more control over daily functioning. In doing so, we tailor the guidance to the individual needs of the client and the family.

In the Treatment Plan (BHP), we map out your life story together. We start with the period before your birth, from approximately nine months prior, and follow your development up to the present.

We investigate important events and experiences, such as:

• The circumstances surrounding your birth and your first years of life.
• The development of your attachment and the relationships with important people around you.
• Experiences at school, within the family, and with peers.
• Major events, loss, bullying, or other experiences that have had a significant impact on you.
• Prolonged stress, high expectations, conflicts, or situations in which you did not feel safe or understood.
• Moments when you have adapted yourself to others, suppressed your feelings, or crossed your own boundaries.

Through conversations, our experience, and targeted psycho-education, we try to recognize patterns and connections together. Sometimes, experiences emerge that you had not previously realized how much influence they had on you.

We proceed with care. Not every event is a trauma, and not every young person with FNS has attachment issues. We explore what is meaningful to you, without establishing a preconceived explanation for your symptoms.

Once we have more insight into your life story, we will look at which factors may be contributing to your symptoms or hindering your recovery.

Think, for example, of difficulty regulating emotions, prolonged tension, insecurity, overload, or the feeling of constantly having to meet expectations.

We explain how stress, emotions, physical reactions, and behavior can influence each other. This helps you better understand what is happening and how you can gain influence over certain patterns yourself.

The goal is not to find a cause at all costs, but to discover starting points that can help you.

Based on the treatment plan, we choose together which forms of treatment are appropriate. Depending on your needs, this may consist of:

• Trauma treatment: when significant experiences play a role and processing is indicated.
• Attachment-focused therapy: when relational patterns, trust, or experiencing safety are important themes.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): to gain insight into thoughts, feelings, and behavior and to develop helpful patterns.
• Emotion regulation: learning to recognize, understand, and manage emotions and physical tension.
• Assertiveness and setting boundaries: learning to express what you need and stand up for yourself.
• Working on self-image and self-confidence: discover who you are, what you can do, and what you need.
• Psycho-education and stress regulation: understand how tension and overload have an impact and learn to deal with signals from your body.

Not every treatment is suitable for everyone. We always assess what aligns with your situation, what you can handle, and what is most helpful at that moment.

In addition, specialized physiotherapy, exercise therapy, rehabilitation care, or other medical guidance may be required for movement problems, functional seizures, or other specific neurological complaints. We consider collaboration with the involved healthcare providers important.

In children, development, the environment, and dependence on parents play an important role. Children often have fewer words and skills to recognize and process stress, emotions, and traumatic experiences. As a result, tension can also manifest physically, for example in functional seizures.

At JongStressVRIJ, using the WEEBER method, we look not only at the child but also at the family situation. We map out the timeline and investigate which events, emotions, and stressors may play a role.

Parents are an important part of the treatment. They learn to better understand the symptoms, recognize signs of tension, and respond calmly and supportively during and after an attack. We also pay attention to the parents' own emotions and the dynamics between them. By gaining insight into these aspects, they can better support their child, set appropriate boundaries, and provide more calm and safety.

The goal is to provide both the child and the parents with more insight and practical tools, so that the family can better cope with the symptoms and the child's recovery is supported.

Even when symptoms decrease, it is important that you know how to continue taking good care of yourself.

That is why we create a personal relapse prevention plan together. This plan is tailored to your life, personality, interests, and daily environment.

We map out, among other things:

• Which signals indicate that tension is building up in you.
• Which situations or circumstances can throw you off balance.
• What helps you calm down and feel safe.
• How to recognize and set your boundaries.
• Which activities, people, and interests give you energy and pleasure.
• What you can do yourself when symptoms worsen.
• Who you can ask for help and when additional support is needed.

The plan is practical and personal. It must not only be correct on paper, but above all be usable at school, at home, during sports, and in contact with others.

Our goal is for you to learn to understand yourself better, recognize signals sooner, and gain increasing confidence in your own abilities.

School and work are an important part of the treatment. We are familiar with reintegration plans from the professional field, and we create such a plan for schools as well.

We are happy to involve the school in this, for example through the Internal Supervisor (IB'er) or the mentor. Sometimes an IB'er or mentor joins a session, often online.

An important part of the reintegration plan is explaining things to the school: how do you connect well with the young person and how do you ensure fewer stimuli? We also look together at how you can talk to peers about FNS. Shame is often a factor, whereas openness actually fosters understanding.