I was diagnosed at 14, I dont think there are words to describe the hunger to a normal person.
Exactly like Joe said, your son is in some of the fastest years for growth of his life, and for the past few months prior to diagnosis, his body has been consuming itself. For at least a year after diagnosis, my hunger was insatiable. It certainly complicates managing diabetes, a desire to eat all of the time, but his body is overpowering his mind and telling him it needs food. I remember eating until I was nauseous, until i hurt, and still being hungry.
Dont ever criminalize it, I think the best thing a parent can do is exactly what it sounds like you are doing, trying to find the best choices and making sure insulin covers whatever he eats. If he misses insulin and gets high blood sugars, his body will waste all the nutrition and he will be even hungrier. Just continue to be supportive; boys are hungry from that age until their twenties, he cant help it, he just needs help to make sure he is on top of his insulin.
Have you tried experimenting with different injection sites? Ive always found halfway up the outer thigh to be the most painless, followed by the butt(probably doesnt want mom giving him shots there though). The stomach and butt are great for giving large shots, large volumes of insulin hurt worse than the needle oftentimes, but the stomach is really sensitive to the needle. The arm is less sensitive than the stomach. Google image search insulin injection sites if you havent already and check out all of the real estate on the legs and torso. Dont overthink rotating injection sites either, I stuck myself in the same arm for 15 years, and developed a small lump that went away two months after i switched to a pump. Make sure you have the insulin vial at room or body temperature before you draw and inject for less pain.
Sometimes insulin injections hit a vein or muscle instead of fat, which makes it hurt more. It also makes the insulin work faster and less predictably. If it bled a little and hurt a lot, you probably hit a vein, not a big deal, it happens. Id also say that once in every few thousand shots, Id hit a nerve. It is the most exquisite pain you can imagine, but its over in an instant and it’s once again, nothing to worry about.
Have you tried beef jerky? The little stick ones are convenient. I would highly recommend making your own dehydrated jerky though. It is immensly filling for its size, sits in the stomach for a long time, requires a lot of chewing so it takes a while to graze, and there are no carbohydrates. You need a dehumidifier, they are very cheap and easy to use. Round roast is the “preferred” cut for beef jerky, but really, anything from roast to brisket is going to make fantastic jerky. Dont be afraid to try using a cheap cut of beef, cheaper usually means fattier, fat contains over twice the calories as protein. I use a slicer machine, but you can easily cut strips with a knife. It take sroughly 2lbs of beef to fill up my dehumidifier. Once I get the meat chopped up, I mix it up with sauces and spices in a bowl and set aside 30 minutes to marinate. Worcestershire sauce, vinager, salt, pepper, liquid smoke, cinnamon, a sprinkle of Cheyenne pepper, or even a prepackaged marinade; get creative and experiment. You lay the strips in the dehumidifier and let it sit. I’d say 4 to 16 hours, depending on how chewy or savory you prefer, Id say less is better though. You cant buy beef jerky at the store with slivers of fat still intact, you can only get that in your own kitchen. You’ll see that the beef shrinks to roughly a third or fourth of its original size. That’s why it’s so filling, it has to sit in your stomach and rehydrate before you can break it down.
Another excellent food for a 10 year old is eggs. Very dense and nutritional, no carbohydrates. Sunny side up, over easy, poached, scrambled, and mother of god, omelets. Eggs, in their various styles, go great with butter, cheese, meats, and toast. Toast is a good slow metabolizing carb choice, I always pair them with my eggs. Omelet possibilities are endless, you could go to Denny’s, IHOP, or WaffleHouse and see if any strike his fancy. Scrambled eggs are amazing with cream cheese and chives. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can whip up some hollandaise sauce from eggs, melted butter, and a touch of lemon juice; hollandaise sauce makes every breakfast item tastier. Hard or soft boiled eggs are amazing. They are prepackaged in their shell, super dense, and easily accessible once theyve been boiled and chilled. Deviled eggs are amazing too.