Celebrating Ability: Bio Ability’s Mission During Disability Awareness Month

November marks Disability Awareness Month—a time to honor the strength, resilience, and potential of individuals with disabilities. At Bio Ability, we believe that every person deserves access to movement, joy, and community. That’s why we’re proud to spotlight our work empowering children through young adults with special needs through adaptive sport and fitness classes.

Bio Ability offers inclusive, adaptive fitness programs designed to meet the unique physical, cognitive, and emotional needs of individuals with disabilities. Our classes are tailored to support a wide range of abilities, including those with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other developmental or physical challenges.

• Adaptive Gymnastics: modified gymnastics skills and exercises that benefit overall fitness and mobility but also focus on motor planning, balance and sensory needs.
• Adaptive fitness: We incorporate strength training, stretching, and cardio in fun, engaging formats that encourage healthy habits and focus on motor planning, coordination and core strength.

Why It Matters

Physical activity is more than just exercise—it’s a gateway to independence, self-esteem, and mental well-being. For individuals with special needs, adaptive fitness can be life changing. It helps improve motor skills, reduces anxiety, and builds a sense of accomplishment. Parents often tell us how their children look forward to class each week.

Join the Movement

This month, we invite you to celebrate Disability Awareness Month by supporting inclusive sport and fitness. Whether you’re a parent, educator, therapist, or community member, there’s a place for you in our mission. Volunteer, donate to our Foundation at https://bioabilityfoundation.org or simply spread the word—every action helps build a more inclusive world. Together, we’re not just raising awareness, we’re raising ability.

Aicardi Syndrome Awareness Day – November 8^th

Aicardi syndrome is a rare genetic condition that primarily affects females and is characterized by three hallmark features: agenesis of the corpus callosum (the absence of the brain structure connecting the two hemispheres), chorioretinal lacunae (missing tissue in the retina), and infantile spasms or seizures. Children with Aicardi syndrome often experience intellectual disabilities, vision impairments, and physical developmental challenges such as low muscle tone, scoliosis, and difficulty with motor coordinationmy.clevelandclinic.org.

Despite these challenges, many children with Aicardi syndrome can learn to sit, walk, communicate, and engage with the world around them—especially when supported by tailored therapies and inclusive environments.

At Bio Ability, we recognize that every child deserves the opportunity to move, play, and grow. Our adaptive sport and fitness programs are designed to meet the unique needs of individuals with neurological and developmental conditions like Aicardi syndrome.

Here’s how our services make a difference:

• Adaptive Movement Classes: We offer personalized fitness sessions that focus on improving muscle tone, coordination, and balance. These classes are designed to be fun and engaging, helping children build confidence while developing physical skills.
• Sensory-Friendly Environments: Our spaces are structured to minimize overstimulation and accommodate visual and auditory sensitivities, making them ideal for children with sensory processing challenges.
• Social and Emotional Support: Group activities foster peer interaction and emotional growth. Our instructors are trained to encourage communication—whether verbal, gestural, or through assistive devices.
• Family-Centered Care: We work closely with families to understand each child’s abilities and goals, offering guidance and support that extends beyond the gym.
• Therapeutic Integration: Our programs complement physical, occupational, and speech therapies, reinforcing progress made in clinical settings through active play and movement.

At Bio Ability we focus on building ability and celebrating potential. While Aicardi syndrome presents complex challenges, it also reveals the incredible resilience and spirit of the children who live with it. At Bio Ability, we don’t just focus on limitations—we celebrate every milestone, every smile, and every step forward. If you know a child with Aicardi syndrome or another special need, we invite you to explore our programs and see how movement can be a powerful tool for growth and joy. Together, we’re redefining ability—one child, one class, one breakthrough at a time.

What’s happening?

Holiday Schedules

We will have abbreviated hours for the Thanksgiving holidays. Bio Ability will be closed Wednesday through Sunday, November 27-November 30 for the Thanksgiving holiday. We will also be closed December 24^th through -January 1^st. Students with fewer than 4 classes the month of November or December due to closures will be scheduled for a makeup class. If in doubt, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us to confirm the schedule.

Winter Festival at Kidz Therapy Networks

The Fall Festival scheduled early November was cancelled. We will participate in their winter festival December 5th from 5-8PM. The address is 5000 Research Ct. #450, Suwanee, GA. 30024. Bio Ability will have a booth set up.  Come join the fun.

Kids Night Out

We are offering an integrated Kids Night Out with Bio Gymnastics each month. It is the second Saturday of the month from 5-9 PM. It includes games, open gym, crafts and a movie.  Pizza is for dinner.  Please send a water bottle and snack if the child does not like pizza. Cost for Bio Ability is $45 per child due to smaller staff : child ratio. Contact Bio Ability to register so we can assure staff availability.

Staff Updates

Coach Anna will be out of town most of December. We will accommodate the classes with other instructors but may need to schedule makeups. I will keep everyone posted who has a Friday class with coach Anna. In March, coach Garrett will be leaving for Army National Guard basic and advanced trainings and will be gone about 6 months.

I am still looking for instructors and would love someone with a behavioral therapist or special education background so if you know anyone, please refer them to dawn.koch@bio-ability.com or to apply online on our website at https://bio-ability.com/job-application/

Class Schedules and Policies

Reminder that if you need any changes to your child’s schedule, please contact the Bio Ability phone number by calling or texting at least a week before the change is needed if at all possible. Should your child need to miss class for any reason, please let Dawn know ahead of time and we can schedule the makeup right away. There will be no makeup for any classes with no notice.

Exercise of the Month: Vibration Plate

Bio Ability has procured a vibration plate to use as a sensory tool for our class participants. A protocol was developed in conjunction with our Kidz Therapy Networks Partner for the benefit and safety of the children.

The benefits of vibration plates include:

• Improved sensory integration: Vibration therapy may help individuals with autism better process and integrate sensory information.
• Reduced anxiety and stress: The deep pressure and consistent stimulation from vibration plates can have a calming effect, potentially reducing anxiety and stress levels.
• Enhanced body awareness: Regular use of vibration plates may improve proprioception, leading to better body awareness and motor control.
• Increased focus and attention: Some studies suggest that vibration therapy may help improve focus and attention span in individuals with autism.
• Better sleep patterns: The calming effects of vibration therapy may contribute to improved sleep quality and duration.

These benefits highlight the potential of vibration therapy as a supportive intervention for individuals with autism.

Recipe: Maple Glazed Roasted Carrots Recipe – Food.com

Ingredients:

• • 1lb precut baby carrots
  • ¹⁄₂ tablespoon olive oil
  • ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
  • ¹⁄₂ tablespoon butter
  • ½ tablespoon maple syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
2. In shallow baking dish, toss carrots with oil and salt to coat.
3. Roast in oven for 10 minutes.
4. Heat butter in small saucepan until golden brown (don’t burn!), remove from heat and add maple syrup.
5. Drizzle over carrots and shake pan to coat.
6. Return to oven and continue to roast for another 8 minutes, or until brown and tender.
7. Serve immediately. 

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4, Calories 74; Fat 29g; Sat Fat 1.2g; Carbs 11g; Fiber 2g; Protein 7g.