Children who have coughs that go on for weeks may have a type of walking pneumonia that’s been surging in the US this year, and they may need a different antibiotic regimen to treat it, infectious disease experts say.

This infectious respiratory illness is on the rise, especially among children. Here's what parents need to know.

In today's health headlines, the Centers for Disease Control reports that whooping cough and walking pneumonia are on the rise.

The infection is causing what's called "Mycoplasma pneumonia." The rate of cases at emergency rooms had been increasing over the past six months with the peak hitting in August.

Bacterial infections from Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which can cause walking pneumonia, have surged since late spring, according to the CDC. The spike has been highest in children ages 2-4. Cases of "walking pneumonia" — a milder form of the lung infection pneumonia — have spiked in the United States, particularly among young children.

According to the CDC, respiratory infections caused by the bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniae have increased in the U.S. over the past six months, particularly among young children. In previous years, most pneumonia or acute bronchitis infections caused by the bacteria were found in school-aged children and teens.

Infectious disease specialists are concerned about a rise in the number of 'walking pneumonia' cases and that the disease is appearing in younger children.

Cases of "walking pneumonia" have been rising sharply in the United States since the spring, especially among young children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.