A SOCIAL networking website could have saved the life of a critically ill little boy.

Philip Rice was putting his son, Ted, to bed one night and spotted the youngster had a rash.

He was so worried he uploaded a photograph of the four-year-old’s rash and a list of symptoms onto social networking website, Facebook.

Within minutes, the anaesthetic assistant, who works at Salford Royal Hospital, received a response from his colleague and friend, Dr Sara Barton, who urged him to take Ted to hospital.

The youngster has been diagnosed with leukaemia and is now undergoing gruelling chemotherapy.

Mr Rice, of Greenmount, said: “He was off colour and not right but I didn’t think much of it at first.

“He wasn’t himself and we decided to take him to the GP the next morning.

“We put him to bed, he had a bit of a cry, and my wife Sarah who’s a midwife went to her night shift. But I had that gut feeling when something is wrong.

“Looking back, in my heart of hearts, I knew what was going on but I was so frightened I couldn’t admit it to myself.”

Ted had just recovered from a bout of tonsillitis when Mr Rice became worried on November 25 last year.

Following the appeal on Facebook from Dr Barton, Mr Rice took his son to Salford Royal Hospital, where he was told the devastating news his son was suffering from acute lymphocytic leukaemia .

And the 34-year-old believes Facebook could have saved his son’s life.

Mr Rice, of Brookhouse Close, said: “There is a 75 per cent survival rate and when it’s put into that perspective, the numbers aren’t good enough when it’s your child. That picture probably saved us.

”We have had so much support from our neighbours. The whole community has been absolutely incredible. And we couldn’t have done it without the support of The Rainbow Trust.”

Little Ted is now having three months of treatment.

The four-year-old, who is now in a wheelchair, has daily chemotherapy at home and visits Manchester Children’s Hospital twice a week.

Mr Rice has now shaved his head to match Ted and is hoping his son be well enough to start school part-time in September.

In the meantime, the family, including mum Sarah, aged 33, and daughter Pippa, aged two, are trying to raise awareness and funds for The Rainbow Trust.

Dr Barton is also preparing to run the Great Manchester Run to raise money for the charity which supports children with life-threatening illness and their families.

She said: “Rainbow Trust are a charity that supports families living with a child with a serious illness – their help is crucial to Ted and his family right now, and will continue to be needed for many, many families around the UK.

“This is a condition with reasonable odds of cure — but Ted faces three years of gruelling chemotherapy to get better.

“In addition mum, dad and his little sister will also have their lives turned upside down as they all get on with the difficult business of living with a serious illness.”

To donate to The Rainbow Trust visit justgiving.com/SaraBarton.