Ten-Year-Old in ICU Following Sudden Onset of Unseen Meningitis Rash

A young girl’s mysterious illness has left her fighting for her life in intensive care, after what began as a minor complaint before bedtime turned into a medical emergency.
Ten-year-old Penelope Vidal-Walsh from Southport told her parents she felt unwell and went to bed, but by the early hours, she had become sick and developed a bruise that would soon reveal a far more serious condition.
Her father, Ricardo Vidal, checked on her but noticed nothing unusual at first; it was only after a second bout of illness and a bath the next morning that a small purple mark appeared on her neck, followed by a rash on her knee, prompting immediate concern.
Penelope’s parents acted swiftly, performing the NHS-recommended “glass test” to check if the rash would fade under pressure—a crucial step in identifying dangerous infections like meningitis or septicaemia.
When the rash did not blanch, they rushed her to Ormskirk Hospital, and by mid-morning, she was transferred to Alder Hey, where doctors confirmed a diagnosis of meningitis.
“They started treating her immediately, she is breathing through a respirator.
It’s touch and go, we were told the first 24 hours are the most dangerous and she has thankfully got through that but we don’t know what the future looks like,” said her aunt, Angel Walsh.
Meningitis, particularly meningococcal disease, can progress rapidly and is known for symptoms such as fever, headache, a non-blanching rash, and neck stiffness, and is most dangerous in children and young adults.
“There’s no clear pathway of recovery with this sort of thing, every case is so different.
Yesterday we had a good update that the meningitis infection has now gone and she has meningococcal disease now and it’s about the recovery.
There’s so many risks from limb damage, sight and hearing, to a brain injury.
The infection can get to her brain.
Thankfully, a brain scan came back clear but it’s all quite uncertain at the moment.” The family’s experience highlights the importance of awareness, as early detection and treatment are critical—according to the UK Meningitis Research Foundation, swift medical intervention can be life-saving, but the disease can still cause long-term complications.
Angel stressed the need for vigilance, saying, “It’s scary how it came out of nowhere.
If the rash had appeared 12 hours earlier when it was dark, her parents might not have seen it and she could have gone to bed and never woken up.
We’re so thankful it was light when the rash appeared and her parents spotted it.
It was the worst news her mum and dad could have got, the only positive thing is that they spotted it and acted so quickly.” She added, “We have three children and I don’t think we would have been aware enough to act so quickly.
I didn’t even know what a meningitis rash looked like.
I thought it would be like a normal heat rash and we want to make other parents aware so they know what to look out for.
If your child is complaining of feeling unwell, take them to the doctors to be checked out because you don’t know what it could be.
It’s scary how quickly it happened.”
The ordeal has brought the family together at Penelope’s bedside, with her parents unable to work as they support her through recovery.
“It was her parents’ worst fear, it was the worst news they could have got and it’s been really hard.
It has impacted us all.
The whole family has stopped what they are doing to be by her side.
Her parents haven’t been able to go to work and have been by her bedside.” To help with mounting expenses, Angel and her husband Joe have launched a GoFundMe campaign, as she explained, “Unfortunately bills don’t stop and they haven’t been able to go to work.
We just want to help in any way we can, we feel useless.”
Meningitis remains a significant health threat, with the World Health Organization estimating hundreds of thousands of cases globally each year.
The disease can affect anyone but is most common in children under five and teenagers.
Early symptoms often mimic less severe illnesses, making parental awareness and rapid response critical, as seen in Penelope’s case.