Welcome to Treyton's Posse!

Treyton’s Posse is a blog with a father’s perspective on Down syndrome. Having a child diagnosed with Down syndrome changed my life. It changed the way I think about the diagnosis as well as the people who it is cast upon. I want others to see that individuals with Down syndrome are people with gifts, talents, and dreams just like you and me. The common stereotypes that exist about Down syndrome are keeping people like my son from reaching their full potential. Those same stereotypes are also causing parents of children with Down syndrome unnecessary despair. I want to help other parents, especially dads, to see that Down syndrome is not going to be as bad as they probably think it will be – Treyton has filled our house with joy. I hope that by sharing my story, others will join me in creating a world where individuals with Down syndrome are able to achieve their dreams without prejudice.

Down syndrome is a part of my life.

Hello, my name is Rob Arnold and I am the creator of Treyton’s Posse. I would like to tell you a little about myself which I hope will help you understand my motivation for creating this website/blog. At the time of writing this post I am 39 years old. I am happily married to my high school sweetheart and have been for a little over 20 years.
Together we have four amazing kids; 3 girls and 1 boy. Our oldest daughter is Bailey and she is currently 14 years old. Our next daughter, Taylor, is 12 and Lindyn is our third daughter and is 7 years old. Treyton is almost 3 and is our only son.

Life before Down syndrome.

Prior to Treyton being born people would ask me if having 3 daughters made me want to have a son. I never really understood that question because that thought had never crossed my mind. I was not the type that had a mental picture of what my “ideal” family looked like. After our first child was born I could not imagine what life would be like with two kids. After our second girl was born I couldn’t imagine having three kids and that is how I was before Treyton was born. My wife, on the other hand, was the type that had always imagined that she would have a little boy some day.

Trisomy 21 is a new beginning.

After trying but being able to get pregnant we consulted a fertility specialist. To make a long story short, we were told that we would not be able to have more kids. It took a while but we did come to terms with this reality. Then….my wife did become pregnant with our fourth child. It was a miracle! Tragically, we experienced a miscarriage during the first trimester and lost the baby. It felt like an amazingly cruel joke.
Obviously the story doesn’t end there. It was about a year later, March 20, 2009 at 8:58 PM that Treyton Scott Arnold came into this world. Shortly after that a karyotype confirmed a diagnosis of Trisomy 21. It did not matter to me. Treyton is my son, not my son with Down syndrome, HE IS MY SON. Treyton is not a diagnosis; he is an amazing gift from God. He is my four-leaf clover.

Why I blog about Down syndrome

When I first considered starting this blog it became clear to me that there were three groups of motivations or reasons that compelled me. As illustrated by the Venn Diagram, those three groups of motivating factors are 1) factors regarding Treyton, 2) factors regarding myself, and 3) factors regarding other parents of kids with Down syndrome. As I continue to write, I will be expanding on each of the groups of reasons in separate posts and then creating links below.