When my daughter was 16 she came home from school suffering with flu like symptoms. Within a few hours she was in extreme pain with her feet. I tried to get the doctor to make a home visit and was just told that she should pain relief and drink plenty of fluids. Within a matter of two days (and constant calls to N.H.S. direct - who were wonderful - and my GP) she develpoed a rash. It was terrifying, I just watched as it travelled down her body. She was rushed to hospital - the doctor thought it was meningitis, but thankfully I was told that it was a viral infection - albeit a severe one. The skin on her feet became like leather and the rash seemed to join together. She looked as if she had red trainer socks on. It wasn't until approx. 5 months later and the skin began to peel that she started to improve. She now has M.E.. Has anyone come across similar symptoms please? I was never given a name of her illness but one person has mentioned scarlet fever (because of the red rash).