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Childcare and Antibiotics: Know When to Say No

Announcements

Physician General Announces Winners of Annual Get Smart About Antibiotics Kids’ Art Competition and the Get Smart Volunteer Awards

March 21, 2017; Harrisburg, PA – Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine today revealed the winners of the fifth annual statewide “Get Smart about Antibiotics” Kids’ Art Competition and the Get Smart Volunteer Awards.

"Teaching children at an early age about the importance of responsible antibiotics use is as easy as it is essential," said Dr. Levine. "Avoiding unnecessary antibiotics helps to keep all Pennsylvanians safe from potentially serious health complications. An event like this art competition is as fun as it is educational and I am grateful to every volunteer who has helped make this event possible."

For the past five years, the Get Smart Program has hosted a kids’ art competition open to children age 12 and under. The competition is sponsored by the Department of Health and gives children the opportunity to showcase their creativity and help spread the word about the importance of hand hygiene, vaccines, and appropriate antibiotic use.

The Pennsylvania Get Smart Program aims to decrease the need for unnecessary antibiotics by preventing illnesses before they occur. The program holds this yearly art competition to give children the opportunity to display their creativity and spread the word about the importance of hand hygiene, recommended vaccinations, and appropriate antibiotic use.

Every year, as many as 10 million children in the United States are at risk for harmful side effects from antibiotics prescribed for viral illnesses, which are not cured by antibiotics. The overuse of antibiotics contributes to the rise in antibiotic resistance, which results in at least 23,000 preventable deaths in the United States annually.