'Walking pneumonia' cases rising among children, CDC says

HOUSTON, Texas -- A type of respiratory tract infection is on the rise in children and affecting mainly those ages 2 to even 17 years old, according to the CDC.

That infection is causing what's called 'Mycoplasma pneumonia', which many actually know as "walking pneumonia." The rate of cases at emergency rooms had been increasing over the past six months with the peak hitting in August.

Dr. Alexis Monique Javier from Memorial Hermann explained what symptoms to look out for.

"They may have fever. They may have trouble breathing, coughing, and wheezing," Javier said. "Difficulty breathing in kids is difficult to determine, especially given their age. So if your child is breathing faster than usual, you see their ribs getting sucked in, or neck muscles sucked in, or see that nose is flaring, then those are signs to go to urgent care or emergency room."

To put this into perspective, according to the CDC, the percentage of diagnoses among kids from late March to early October showed an increase from 1.0% to 7.2%. This was among children ages 2 to 4 years old, and for those 5 to 17 years old, cases jumped from 3.6% to 7.4%. The CDC is also pointing out that this type of bacteria, historically, has not been the leading cause of pneumonia in kids ages 2 to 4, so it's unclear what is causing this spike.

Dr. Javier also explained how this can spread from person to person.

"Mycoplasma pneumonia is spread through respiratory droplets," Dr. Javier said.

So the best way to try to prevent it is going back to the basics. Wash your hands for 20 seconds and tell your kids to sing the alphabet two times. Also, don't touch your face or eyes after touching surfaces. Sneeze or cough into your elbow and wear a mask if you are sick.

Dr. Javier also added that eating a diet rich in fruits and veggies should boost your immune system. Try to get enough sleep and stay active. All of that combined should keep you and your kids healthy this season.

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