RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — It’s that time of year when people are coughing, sneezing, and staying home sick. Doctors in the Triangle, and across the country, say they’re seeing more cases of a specific type of pneumonia called mycoplasma pneumonia, sometimes called walking pneumonia.

Kira Kroboth’s son recently came down with the illness.

“Literally about half his class all got sick one day with fever, and then it quickly moved into just headache, sore throat, and a cough,” she said.

Doctors diagnosed him with mycoplasma pneumonia.

“He got started on medication, and then my other son got sick, and then my husband got sick, and then I got sick,” Kroboth added. “It’s been pretty rough. My husband never gets sick, and he’s probably been the sickest of all of us,” she noted. “Lots of nights being awake with the oxygen dropping with my youngest, so I had to set my clock to wake up every hour or so to check on his oxygen levels.”

Dr. Damilola Joseph, Medical Director of the Children’s Emergency Department at WakeMed, says she’s starting to see all kinds of respiratory illnesses, including rhinovirus, pneumonia, mycoplasma pneumonia, and flu.

The CDC recently announced an increase in mycoplasma pneumonia cases across the country and the North Carolina Health Department reports an increase in pneumonia in recent months. UNC Health reports 40 positive mycoplasma pneumonia tests during the last week of October, compared with almost none the same time last year.

Dr. Josesph says that WakeMed has also seen an increase in cases.

“Pneumonia can be caused by many different things including viruses. If you have a viral pneumonia, you do not need antibiotics,” she explained. “If you have bacterial pneumonia, you need antibiotics, and the antibiotic for mycoplasma pneumonia might be different than antibiotic for a regular pneumonia, so it’s always good to get advice from your pediatrician.”

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services also reports an increase in whooping cough cases across North Carolina.

With any illness, Dr. Joseph says you should see your doctor if your child has trouble breathing or symptoms are getting worse after several days.

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“Don’t panic with every fever, every cough and cold, but if you really feel that this child is sicker than what you expect or compared to other kids or their siblings, please just seek help,” she urged.

After nearly a week of illness, Kroboth hopes her family will soon recover and stay well for a while.

“Bless us for this flu and cold season,” she said.