If your child has a prolonged fever and cough and it’s getting worse, not better — it may be time to see your pediatrician.
This fall, Novant Health pediatricians have observed a rising number of mild pneumonia cases in kids.
Pneumonia is a lung infection that happens when a microorganism (like a bacteria or virus) inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. Those air sacs fill with fluid or pus, making breathing difficult.
We often hear pneumonia mentioned in connection with older adults, who can face serious illness or even death from the infection. Many kids showing up in clinics this fall have a milder form of pneumonia called “atypical pneumonia,” pediatrician Dr. Sameena Hassan of Novant Health Dilworth Pediatrics in Charlotte said. “We’re seeing it throughout the Novant Health system and across the nation.”
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Atypical pneumonia, also called “walking pneumonia,” is often caused by a bacteria called Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
In September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported increased infections of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children nationwide, including reports of a “notable” increase in infections among 2- to 4-year-olds, who aren’t the typical age group affected. (That’s usually reserved for older children and adolescents.)
There are cyclical changes in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections every few years, the CDC reports, and data from April to August 2024 shows the highest “spike” in infections in children nationwide since 2020. Health systems in Texas, Washington, D.C., Indiana, and Pennsylvania have reported a high number of cases among children in their areas.
Mild pneumonia symptoms
Most coughs are caused by a virus that resolves on its own and does not require a visit to the doctor, Hassan said. But if it’s atypical pneumonia caused by the Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria, most kids will need antibiotics to get better, so it’s wise to be aware of the symptoms.
A child with atypical pneumonia may have:
• A fever for several days
• A dry cough
• Labored breathing
• Fatigue and weakness
• Loss of appetite, nausea and/or vomiting
• Chills
• Runny nose
• Headache
• Pain in throat, chest, ears and/or joints
Treating atypical pneumonia
In addition to prescribing antibiotics if needed, your pediatrician will likely recommend that your child:
• Rest and stay home from school/day care.
• Stay hydrated.
• Take hot showers, drink warm fluids, and use a humidifier to help open their airways.
• Take over-the-counter medications to address symptoms.
How to avoid getting atypical pneumonia
Atypical pneumonia can spread from bacteria on surfaces or by airborne respiratory droplets from an infected person who’s coughing, sneezing, talking or singing. Proper handwashing, sanitizing surfaces and avoiding sick people can help prevent it. A person with walking pneumonia is contagious for up to 10 days unless antibiotics are started.
When to see your child’s doctor
Although atypical pneumonia is usually mild, it can turn into a more serious form of pneumonia — and any form of pneumonia can be dangerous for kids with underlying health conditions like asthma.
“The take home message is: If they have a fever above 101 for more than three days, your child’s doctor wants to see them,” Hassan said. “If it’s day seven of a cough and you feel like they’re worse than they were on day three, your child should be seen. And if the ‘common cold’ is not getting better on the second week of illness, you should at least talk with your child’s doctor.”
