Walking Pneumonia on the rise in Children

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)- Health Experts are seeing a surge in Pediatric walking pneumonia in Hamilton County. 

“It’s circulating in our community, and it is also circulating nationwide. I have many, many colleagues around the country who I have spoken to the high volume of mycoplasma illness they are seeing,” said Dr. Jeffery Bennett, Erlanger.

Walking Pneumonia rises during the school year in Children.

Bennett explains what makes this strain different.

“Treatment of this pneumonia requires a different kind of an antibiotic, so providers who are seeing children with pneumonia and adults, for that matter, may need to consider using a different antibiotic than they otherwise might for the usual bacterial cause of them,” said Dr. Bennett. 

While it is commonly called walking pneumonia, the illness still can send kids to the ER.

“Some of these children are coming into the emergency department needing extra oxygen, and some of them have complained of stomach symptoms as well as just feeling weak and run down. So the situation can vary quite a bit in terms of the severity of illness,’ said Dr. Bennett

But, Dr. Bennett says medicine is available to slow down the spread of walking pneumonia 

“Azithromycin, or you might know it, azithromax or Z pack, is the common way we refer to that antibiotic. And this antibiotic can be taken by very young children all the way through adulthood, so they can be prescribed antibiotics by their provider once this diagnosis has been made,” Dr. Bennett concluded.