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

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.

Walking pneumonia cases are surging among young children in the United States, federal health officials warn. "Bacterial infections caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae increased in the United States since late spring and have remained high,

A new update from the CDC is sounding the alarm for parents of young children. The agency is tracking a rise in cases of “walking pneumonia” and other respiratory illnesses caused by the mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria.