this is "nightline." >> tonight, meet the newest breed of pushy parents. >> come on, be the winner! >> going to extremes to give their kids an edge. >> you cry, you're a baby. do you want to be called a baby? >> no. >> mom and dad say it's for the best, but are they taking it too far. >> ha-ha, i beat you. >> lisa, stop. plus, the furious race to stop the spreading ebola outbreak, it's one of the deadliest diseases on the planet and we're going into the hot zone. from atlanta to africa, what can be done before it's too late and the epidemic is out of control? and apparently famous. a chatty little kid grabs the mike for a star-making turn on local tv. >> apparently i've never been on

live television before. >> and becomes a viral sensation. >> i don't watch the news, because i'm a kid. >> we have the latest on what's in store for the singular youngster. >> now back to you. >> but first -- >> okay, now can i be done? >> -- the "nightline" five.

jarvis. some parents think their kids can do no wrong. but not the ones you're about to meet. whether they max out the extracurriculars or push for the near impossible, it seems some will stop at nothing in the quest to get perfection from their children. this extreme parenting style is gaining ground. is the past's success paved with tough love? >> come on, faster, austin, faster! >> reporter: making 5-year-old austin compete in an obstacle course is nothing out of the ordinary for his parents. using the course to teach him the importance of winning and being a good sport. >> good boy! >> life is not always easy. sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose. >> okay. >> so if you cry, you're a baby. do you want to be called a baby? >> no.

>> reporter: the style of parenting, pushing your child to succeed, is now out in the open more than ever. from the infamous "dance moms" -- >> you need to work, this wasn't handed to you. >> reporter: to bravo's "extreme guide to parenting." they're not shy about their parenting, but are they pushing too hard? >> you're not focusing on the back swing. >> how would you describe your parenting style? >> we want them to be the best they can be, to give 100% into everything. and i teach him every day to make it count and to be a kind person. but to push yourself to the limit. i don't think there's anything wrong with that. >> you need to push your kid these days. andre agassi started playing tennis at 4, and look where he went. >> he made it every step of the way. >> and you know what, who cares? >> austin's driving the bus, austin wants it. he wants to explore it, and we believe it's our duty as parents

to allow him to explore what he wants to explore. >> reporter: he has quite the schedule. how many extracurricular activities does he participate in? >> karate, swimming, tennis, golf, reading class, basketball, and soccer starts in the fall. and then camp full time. so it's seven. but i don't think that's a lot. >> this is the seven. >> reporter: today it's private golf lessons. >> wow, way to go, buddy! >> it went into the trees. >> reporter: they have big plans for austin and the focus is on the future. >> here comes austin eisen berg. >> i want him to have a good life, this is what it's all about, getting into a good college, a good grad school, being the best he can be. and this is where it starts. at 5 years old is where it starts. >> i'm the winner! >> i definitely think there's such a thing as pushing your child too hard.

as times i've done it. >> our senior medical contributor. by day, she gives advice. >> even losing a small amount of body weight can drop your blood pressure. >> reporter: just watch dr. jen in action as we skype with her 14-year-old daughter chloe at hockey camp. >> are you getting enough sleep? >> yes, i got nine hours per night. >> now, remember, this is an important week because you're getting ready to go to canada. okay? >> thanks, coach. >> i mean, you have to be aggressive. >> when we were doing sprints on the ice, i was a little tired. >> unacceptable! [ laughter ] >> reporter: but she says it's all part of raising happy, successful children. >> i push them hard in their process, whatever that is. whether it's homework, whether it's a school project. i don't really care that much what the product is, as long as

they put in the most effort that they humanly can. >> reporter: and it's that work ethic that's helped chloe on the ice. >> now we get to the hardware, as i call it. this is the bling. these are only half her medals. this is a girls tournament, little ponytail. >> reporter: jen runs a tight ship. planning out her family's schedule each week. everything from dinner to going on a family bike ride. >> this is command central for our household. the dry board. i feel like i can't live without it. >> reporter: juggling work, travel, and her kids' summer schedules, dr. jen keeps her family well organized. just don't mess with her system. >> heaven forbid someone takes the wrong color in the wrong type of handwriting to this board. i get really angry. >> reporter: but she has a warning for parents. >> i definitely think that you

can push a kid too far and too hard. and i think when you do that, what you risk is sending a message to your child, you're not good enough, you need to keep getting better. >> reporter: so back to little austin -- >> come back here! >> come on. >> all right, we're done for today. he just needs a lot more lessons. >> oh. >> does it concern you at all, he could get burnt out? because it's a lot of activity. >> right. but you also have to understand, it's not all in the course of one day, first of all. second of all, we always take a barometer reading of our child. the second i think something's wrong, or he's going in a bad direction, it's going to get corrected immediately. >> i know in my heart i'm doing the best thing for my son. he's going to be a fantastic man one day and i'm going to be proud to say this is my boy. i'm proud now. >> reporter: to her, reality tv is the best forum. >> why do reality tv? >> because i wanted to show the

working mom, that you can be everything to everyone. there's nothing wrong with pushing your child to be the best. i think everyone's scared to say, i want my child to be the best. we all think it inside. it's true. i say it, and i'm honest about it. >> reporter: they say it's what works with for their family and feel they have struck the right balance. >> i know you know this one. oh, my goodness. >> reporter: if other parents look at your example and say, wow, they're pushing pretty hard, what do you say to that? >> i don't think we are pushing hard. if we were to tell me, mom, i don't want to do this, i would stop. >> look at the letters. >> yellow. >> reporter: you would let him not learn those cards? >> he's got my genes. it would never happen. >> remember, we're not saying what we do is necessarily right for every child. every child needs different things. what works for us may not work for another parent. so this is our thing. >> good job, high five, that was

awesome! >> best wishes to austin and his family. the extreme guide to parenting premieres tomorrow night on bravo. next, we are going to the front lines of a desperate struggle to contain the ebola epidemic before it's too late. if you have moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis like me, and you're talking to your rheumatologist about a biologic... this is humira. this is humira helping to relieve my pain and protect my joints from further damage. doctors have been prescribing humira for ten years. humira works by targeting and helping to block a specific source of inflammation that contributes to ra symptoms. it's proven to help relieve pain and stop further joint damage in many adults. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened, as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you've been to areas

where certain fungal infections are common, and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. talk to your doctor and visit humira.com this is humira at work 3d white brilliancele with the toothpaste and boost.m crest: after brushing, our exclusive boost... ...polishes your smile and whitens with 3x the stain lifting ingredient... ...for a smile that dazzles. only from crest 3d white. you've reached the age where you know how things work. this is the age of knowing what needs to be done. so why let erectile dysfunction get in your way? talk to your doctor about viagra. 20 million men already have. ask your doctor if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take viagra if you take nitrates for chest pain; it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. side effects include headache, flushing, upset stomach, and abnormal vision.

to avoid long- term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. stop taking viagra and call your doctor right away if you experience a sudden decrease or loss in vision or hearing. this is the age of taking action. viagra. talk to you doctor. ♪ yeah, girl ♪ you know, i've been thinking about us ♪ ♪ and, uh, i just can't fight it anymore ♪ ♪ it's bundle time ♪ bundle ♪ mm, feel those savings, baby and that's how a home and auto bundle is made. better he learns it here than on the streets. the miracle of bundling -- now, that's progressive.

♪ as the outbreak of a deadly disease reaches u.s. soil, many americans are fearing the worst this evening. hours ago the centers for disease control and prevention activated its highest level of emergency response to the spread of ebola. is the outbreak out of control? and how can we put an end to the

escalating epidemic that's already claimed hundreds of lives? our producer is inside the hot zone, and abc's steve osunsami is in atlanta. >> reporter: 40,000 feet in the air, nancy writebol is in a desperate fight for her life. the 59-year-old missionary is on a private jet bound for america. placed in extreme medical quarantine. weeks earlier, she was in perfect health. in atlanta, doctors will attempt to save here from one of the fiercest diseases on earth, ebola. she's one of two victims affected overseas. victims of the worst outbreak the world has ever seen, while doctors here hope cutting-edge medicine can save these victims' lives. the spread of the disease is out of control. almost a thousand dead in the region. ground zero, liberia, where the death toll is reaching nearly 300 and rising.

>> reporter: the bodies of people killed by the disease are everywhere. some buried in shallow graves. the worst cases left to rot. a government health worker is fighting an uphill and increasingly dangerous battle. >> reporter: in liberia, it's not safe to work in health care. workers like mark have become a target. blamed for spreading the disease and not treating it aggressively enough. and then there's the constant risk of contracting it themselves. >> can you tell me where we are? what's behind you? >> two bodies. >> reporter: each time they confirm an ebola infection here, it helps officials track and hopefully stop the virus. ebola is one of the deadliest viruses on earth. it kills up to 90% of the people it infects, spreads through

blood, sweat, and vomit. symptoms begin with fever, vomiting, severe blood loss, and death comes quickly, often within days. a small neighborhood in liberia, we ran into violent protests. residents begging the government to come take the bodies of those who have died. >> do you know when the person in this house died? >> yeah, this morning. >> reporter: what about the person in the other house? >> the day before yesterday. >> reporter: the health department is overworked and undertrained, not able to keep up with the dozens that die every day. >> when did you all call the health department? >> we called, there was no response. >> meanwhile, mark and his team are headed to a nearby village plagued with ebola. >> you never know. that's why you don't shake hands with anybody. because you can never know who it is that you see, that it touches. >> reporter: the team has to suit up in full hazmat gear,

even the slightest contact with the virus can be deadly. the people sick stay in the shadows, but there's death around every corner. >> reporter: here they encounter a different problem, angry residents are not allowing access to their dead. muslim tradition demands that bodies are buried the same day the person died. but the team wants to make sure those coming out to mourn won't be infected by the potentially contagious bodies. >> why do you want to bury the bodies with you? >> because the man is a muslim man. we're bury the man today. all the people can go get the body in our place. it's not anything. we want to bury the man today. >> what if he did have ebola? >> the man does not have ebola.

>> reporter: here they find families deep in grief. who agree to hand over the body, but not before paying their last respects. [ shouting and crying ] >> reporter: it is a country in chaos. people here terrified and full of suspicion. the infected refusing to seek treatment, fearing they will be mistreated or turned away. >> reporter: in this poor, struggling nation, the health care system is stretched dangerously thin. the grim reality here, for every 100,000 people, there's only one doctor. the worst ratio in the entire

continent. compare that to the u.s. where there's one doctor for every 400 people. back at emory hospital, nancy writebol and kent brantly are surrounded by millions of dollars in cutting-edge equipment, but even that may not be enough to fight ebola's deadly ravages. doctors here are hoping that an experimental ebola treatment may save their lives. if the serum works, it could save them and thousands of other lives. but it's untested, unapproved, and unlikely to ever reach the thousands of people who need it the most. for them, there is no end in sight. >> reporter: for "nightline," i'm steve osunsami in atlanta. >> our thanks to our abc

producers for her important work in liberia, and to steve for that report. we'll be right back. >> abc news "nightline" brought to you by geico. geico's been helping people save money for over 75 years. they've really stood the test of time. much like these majestic rocky mountains. which must be named after the... that would be rocky the flying squirrel, mr. gecko sir. obviously! ahh come on bullwinkle, they're named after... ...first president george rockington! that doesn't even make any sense...mr...uhh...winkle. geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. if you're suffering from constipation or irregularity, powders may take days to work. for gentle overnight relief, try dulcolax laxative tablets. ducolax provides gentle overnight relief, unlike miralax that can take up to 3 days. dulcolax, for relief you can count on.

even 10 miles away.ief you can count on. they can see the light of a single candle. look after them with centrum silver. multivitamins for your eyes, heart and brain. now, with a new easy to swallow coating.

♪ it's not every day you get to see a star being born on camera, but that's exactly what happened when one local news crew interviewed 5-year-old noah ritter and the hilarious, smile-inducing results took on a life of their own. >> reporter: it all started with a simple trip to the county fair in pennsylvania. >> what did you think about the

ride? >> it was great. i've never been on live television before. >> reporter: 5-year-old noah ritter was there for the rides, until he stole the mike, and the show, from a local tv reporter. >> i never, ever be on live television. >> are you excited? >> yeah, and apparently i only went down the super slide. when i went down the one, i was scared half to death. >> they came up to you and you just took that mike? >> apparently they interviewed me. >> the video going viral and catapulting noah to instant fame? >> did you ever expect to go to the fair and be a superstar like you are now? >> no, i did not expect that. >> reporter: and the rest is history. >> is this even on? >> it's on. >> every station in the world. >> including this one. >> i know you're a part of the giants. i used to like the giants. but my grandfather brainwashed

me into liking the seahawks. [ laughter ] >> reporter: like many news personalities, he apparently has a signature word. >> guys, guys, apparently, parent apparently every time, apparently you're spinning around and apparently every time you get dizzy. >> reporter: but this overnight sensation is not just a pretty face. the kid's got smarts too. >> so this is what you want to do, you want to grow up to be this? >> yes, a pailyen tolgs. >> how do you know that word? >> because i went to school and i have a large brain. >> now he's got agents knocking at his door and not a moment too soon. he's already fielding calls from a host of tv talk shows. >> one heck of an interview. >> cameras in my house, cameras in the backyard.

>> it's too much to take in? >> reporter: don't worry, noah. we'll let you get back to your day. >> okay, now can i get a refreshing drink? i want some iced tea, grandma! >> reporter: after all that hard work, success never tasted so sweet. >> okay, now can i be done? i'm noah with gio, now back to you. >> thank you, noah. apparently you're done, but i don't think you're anywhere near finished. something tells me we'll be hearing a lot more from you in the future. our thanks to you, too, gio. thank you for watching abc news. world news now is coming up with overnight breaking news. tune into "good morning america" tomorrow. and as always we're online at abcnews.com. goodnight, america.