Intolerance Testing at Halloween

Last Updated: 10th November 2022 · Written by Donna Mastriani

Halloween should be a period where you simply head out in your chosen costume and enjoy some trick or treating with your friends or siblings. But for many children and teens, Halloween is filled with either sweet intolerances or sweet allergies. When it comes to making this holiday fun, part of planning properly for it is going to be in learning more about sweet intolerances and sweet allergies.

Sugar intolerances

Just like other intolerances, sugar intolerances have certain traits to watch out for. Sugar intolerances are deemed to be rarer than a lot of other intolerances, but they do happen and should be taken seriously when they do transpire. Common symptoms to watch out for include:

•  Bloating and stomach pain: if you are experiencing from looting or stomach pain directly after eating sugar, it could be a sign an intolerance

•  Gas: If you are feeling very gassy, especially in the abdominal region, you could be intolerance to sugar.

•  Diarrhoea: If sugar is causing you problems at the toilet, it’s also a sign that your system is struggling to digest and process the sugary food.

Sugar intolerances can often take an hour or even a few hours to settle in, as the sugar needs to make its way down to the stomach and start going through the digestive tract.

Sugar allergies

Sugar allergies are considered to be rare, but allergies to sugar can arise in children, particularly as they are exposed to high quantities of sugar around the Halloween period. Some of the symptoms to watch for are:

•  Sneezing: Considered to be amongst the most moderate symptoms for an allergy, frequent sneezing is one of the most usual ones to expect.

•  Abdominal pain: Mild to moderate to severe abdominal pain is common with those who have sugar allergies. It can be paired with diarrhoea, too, usually fast-acting or appearing.

•  Hives: Like other allergies, sugar allergies can cause hives, especially concentrated on the mouth and face area.

•   Difficulty breathing: Trouble breathing or other classic anaphylaxis symptoms are also signs to expect with a sugar allergy, though they often are thought to be rare.

Unlike sugar intolerances, a sugar allergy will happen quickly, almost immediately after sugar is consumed. This makes it comparable to what to expect from other traditional food allergies.

How to prepare

If you are worried about your little one having a sugar intolerance or allergy, the best way to be ready is to observe your child consuming their Halloween treats and be ready to intervene if needed. Most times, you’ll know of a child’s allergy soon after proper food consumption in their infancy, but food intolerances often get missed or slip below the radar. This will prioritize everyone’s comfort, safety and entertainment this Halloween season, trust us, we’re experts.

Make sure you’re ready for any spooky intolerances that may arise this season and remember that Halloween can still be fun even with an allergy or intolerance. You just need to be ready for it and make any changes that are needed for everyone to go out in their ideal costume and have a spooktacular time!