5-month-old Idaho baby on dialysis will soon need kidney transplant

Five-month-old Davis Ferguson is seen in an undated photo. The baby will soon need a kidney transplant.

Five-month-old Davis Ferguson is seen in an undated photo. The baby will soon need a kidney transplant. (Ferguson family photo)


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REXBURG, Idaho — A 5-month-old baby boy has had a challenging start to life.

Thomas and Taylor Ferguson live in Rexburg, Idaho, and have been married for three years. They have a 2-year-old boy and a baby named Davis. During Taylor Ferguson's anatomy scan when she was pregnant with Davis, doctors noticed something wasn't right. It wasn't clear exactly what the issue was until after Davis was born — six weeks early.

Taylor Ferguson was admitted into labor and delivery at 33 weeks because she was having contractions and dilating, and an ultrasound revealed she almost didn't have enough fluid around the baby.

"We gave steroid shots to help develop his lungs in preparation for an early delivery," she told EastIdahoNews.com. "Little did we know he would barely make it to 34 weeks and one day."

Davis was born in December 2022. He was diagnosed with stage 5 end-stage renal disease. His kidneys are functioning at 4%. He also has pulmonary valve stenosis, meaning his heart valve doesn't pump blood into the lungs correctly, Thomas Ferguson said.

"We knew after seeing a specialist that our baby would need extensive testing to know exactly what was going on with his kidneys after he was born," Thomas Ferguson mentioned. "But we had no idea about his heart condition or the severity that his kidneys would be at."

Davis was flown by helicopter to Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City when he was 3 days old. He spent 64 days in the hospital and underwent three surgeries and two procedures.

"The not knowing and not having answers for a majority of the time in the hospital was the hardest part," Taylor Ferguson said. "We went a few weeks without having a clear diagnosis and praying constantly that our baby would be OK."

In February, Davis was released from the hospital and came home with a peritoneal dialysis catheter. Peritoneal dialysis is a medical treatment that uses the lining of the belly as a natural filter to take waste and extra water out of the blood. It can take over this job when the kidneys can't do it.

Five-month-old Davis Ferguson will soon need a kidney transplant, the family says.
Five-month-old Davis Ferguson will soon need a kidney transplant, the family says. (Photo: Ferguson family photo)

"It is our job to make sure his catheter is clean, secured, and the sterile dressing is intact with no lifting or torn edges because that is his lifeline," Taylor Ferguson said.

Davis will need a kidney transplant around this time next year and a valve replacement when he is roughly 10 years old.

Right now, the family splits time between Rexburg and Salt Lake City because Davis has weekly appointments at Primary Children's. Taylor Ferguson said they'll have to be in Utah more often when it gets closer to his transplant.

"We have had our ups and downs, emotionally," Taylor Ferguson said. "(But Davis) has taught me that no matter how small, you can always fight and give it your all. Never give up hope."

Despite the hardship Davis and his family are facing, Thomas and Taylor Ferguson said he continues to be a "happy, smiley baby."

"He is a fighter, tough and strong," Thomas Ferguson said. "There isn't a day that goes by that he isn't the sweetest little guy."

Taylor Ferguson used to work but due to Davis' medical needs, she no longer does. Thomas Ferguson is now the sole provider for his family. A GoFundMe* was set up to help with weekly travel costs to the hospital and for Davis' medications their insurance won't cover.

*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

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