Note: I may earn money or products from the companies, products, or links mentioned in this post.

This is a sponsored post about flu season written by me on behalf of Reckitt Benckiser and Sam’s Club. All opinions are 100% mine.

As a special needs mom, the cold and flu season is the hardest time of year for me. I know that once winter hits, it’s only a matter of time before numerous germs are brought into my home and my kids get sick.

Have I mentioned it’s my least favorite time of the year?

Because my daughter is medically complex she has a compromised immune system. This means that if she gets sick there’s a good chance it will be a lot worse for her than other kids and she could end up in the hospital. She has a hard time responding to antibiotics too, so infections can be scary for us.

Winter germs can be scary for #specialneeds parents. Here’s how to prepare for the attack!

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While it would be easy to live in fear of the unknown of what virus could be next, instead I do the best I can to help teach my family and others who come into my home how to enter with the least amount of germs possible.

While I cannot prepare for everything, here are some ways I do prepare for the cold and flu season as a special needs parent!

Cold and Flu Season: What You Need to do to Prepare

1. Stock Up on Your Favorite OTC Medicine Brands.
There’s nothing like having a sick child in the middle of the night and having no medicine in the house. It’s happened to my family plenty of times and it’s rough having to go out and buy some right then and there.

Now, before the cold and flu season, I stock up on the essentials. I go through my medicine cabinet and see what I am low on and what I’m going to need for the coming winter season.

Sam’s Club makes this very easy for me. I can go to one place (or purchase online), stock up on the medicines I need to relieve symptoms and cough with Mucinex and Delsym.

2. Teach Your Kids Proper Hand-Washing Techniques.
We all know that kids like to cut corners. During the winter season, I have to consistently check up on my son when he washes his hands to make sure he is doing it properly.

With my daughter, I use the hand-over-hand technique to help teach her how to properly wash her hands so that she can do it by herself as she gets older. There’s plenty of ways to make this fun for kids including songs, games, and science projects.

3. Set Up “Rules” for People Visiting Your Home.
This may sound extreme, but for some families having rules for others entering their homes is normal. Before the cold and flu season starts, I make an announcement telling friends and family that during this time we will require them to use hand sanitizer when entering our home.

If they or their kids have been sick within the last seven days I ask them not to come to our home. If for some reason someone who is sick does have to come in, I may ask them to wear a mask around my children. While the rules may vary from home to home, it’s a good idea to set them up to help prevent germs entering your home.

4. Change Your Clothing After School or Long Outings.
If you really want to help keep the germs at bay, a good rule of thumb is to have your school-aged child change their clothes after they get home from school.

If you go on a long outing with the family, it may be a good idea to have everyone change their clothes once they’re home. I have heard many moms swear by this tip for keeping their kids as healthy as possible during the cold and flu season.

5. Kill Germs with Lysol Before They Start.

Did you know that Lysol kills 99.9% of germs, bacteria, and viruses and that it can help protect your family from these germs before your symptoms even start? It’s true! This is why I stock up on Lysol products every year, because, without a doubt, I know I will be using them during the cold and flu season.

Sam’s Club has a 4-pack of Lysol Disinfectant Spray. You can use it to disinfect household surfaces like door knobs, diaper pails, remote controls, light switches, and more!

My favorite Lysol product, however, is the Professional Disinfecting Wipes. I use them on almost everything including, countertops, sinks handles, doorknobs, railings, toys, the tv stand, and so much more! The 4-pack from Sam’s Club usually lasts our family a long time so stocking up is a great option for us.