Sneaky child in a big way HELP

Okay my son, nearly 9 years old, has been being sneaky and it's in a big way.  He's driving me insane I feel like I'm losing my mind I used to think that I was a good parent.  I still do most times but lately I'm walking away more and more for fear of losing control of my own emotions.  I mean I find him under his bed eating a whole half gallon of ice cream at 3 am he wakes up and does this.  I will get up in the morning and find that he has eaten the packets of chocolate powder for hot cocoa he has eaten an entire package of chips ahoy cookies a package of clondike bars a whole box of little debbie brownies a whole box of little debbie cakes all on different ocassions not like he's binging and eating all of this at once but a whole box of cakes at once or a whole box of cookies at once.  A whole container of icing.  I mean he hides behind the entertainment center at night he has even fake slept while I checked on him at 3 am and I found that he had ice cream in bed with him and he was awake eating it just seconds before I get into his room. He is fed well, gets desserts and rewarded for good behavior etc. grounded loses his game cube game boy etc. for negative behavior.  I have 4 children and the two younger are starting to try to get away with it.  I have been successful in their attemps and broken most of them but I'm going out of my mind with my oldest child.  No matter how much time I spend with him how much good attention he gets we still are dealing with this behavior.  Also, he is not at all overweight.  He's actually very small for his age, he's about 4 ft or so and weighs about 57 pounds, pretty small for his age, very skinny.  Muscular but small and I'm concerned about this behavior and again losing my mind.  Please if you have dealt with this or have suggestions I'd really appreciate some input.  

[angelinamarina]

Hi,
if you have not already done this....you might try talking to his doctor about this.  Maybe he has a blood sugar issue...if he is thin like that and always craving sugar enough to lie about it, something is going on with him.  If it were me, I would get him in to the doc right away and talk to the doctor separately from him, and then let him talk to the doc without you....the doc should be able to figure out what is going on.  THis is not normal as you already know.
Hope it improves soon!  You are a good parent, or you would not be here posting and worried about your boy!
-Angi

[RockRose]

Sounds like maybe sleep-eating to me.

He's really QUITE small,  I'm not sure why this is bothering you so much even if he's doing it on purpose.  He wakes up in the middle of the night very very hungry,  and he eats a lot at that time.  Why does that bother you at all?

(I'm sorry,  I'm not trying to be difficult.  I hear my kids get up and get a big bowl of cereal in the middle of the night,  or several pieces of pizza,   it doesn't bother me at all.)

But check out the sleep eating site.

http://www.talkaboutsleep.com/sleep-disorders/archives/parasomnias_sleepeating.htm

[nyychic]

It wouldn't bother me but he is awake when he does it at least some of the time.  He is aware and tries to hide what he has done.  That scares me.  He knows that it is wrong to eat an entire box of cookies it worries me that it is always unhealthy foods and I don't think it's right not to allow any snacks like this in the home as he has 3 younger siblings.  I would not mind at all if he woke up and at instant oatmeal or pizza (he uses hot tap water for oatmeal if he makes it himself) or if he ate a sandwich or if he ate some cookies or a brownie.  I don't mind that a bowl of cereal or even two.  A bowl of ice cream etc.  It's that he's doing it in such a drago stic way.  The fact that he has such horrible family history of diabeties, not in children until this generation my cousin who has been recently diagnose.  My boys were tested for diabeties a few years ago and I am going to request another test be ordered.  I just wish I knew why he feels the need to eat obscene amounts of foods on a regular basis.  I mean if he did it once I wouldn't be here asking about it.  I will look into the sleep eating as he does sometimes eat in the middle of the night.  However, please understand that it isn't the fact that he is eating or even that he eats alot it is what he is eating alot of.  My family has a strong family history of heart disease and diabetes and this is why I get concerned even if he doesn't have diabetes now he shouldn't put his pancreas through that much stress to normal out his blood sugar and bring it back to homeostasis (average levels ie. the body tries to rid itself of a fever) anyway my point is that he is binging on horrible foods that aren't so horrible in moderation and is it fair not to have "treats" for the other children because their brother cannot control his impulses?  I don't think so.  I appreciate your input and I just want you to understand that if  he were eating actual food I wouldn't be so upset.  

[nyychic]

I think you are right I think that it's time to re-evaluate him for his blood sugar levels and this time not just the plain old blood tests.  I think I want the full exam drink the solution test the blood regularly over an hour etc.  All of of who have been pregnant have probly been through it!!!  I also had high blood sugar during pregnancy not quite to diabetic levels but borderline. I also had hypoglycemia with my two last pregnancies.  We obviously have blood sugar issues.  Thanks for your help and kind words.

[nyychic]

Thanks for the info I think that I will have him tested to be sure.  He has grown at a "normal" rate.  That is normal for him he grows he's just small that's all.  He wears a size 8 he grows about a size a year.  He was small as an infant due to reflux he was in 12 mos clothes at almost 2 he's still small but tall enough and thin.  I worry about his sugar levels tho and I think that this may ease my mind to have this test done.  Thanks again.

[24me]

Just a thought-have you thought about removing all the sweets for a little while? It sounds like you've got a great stock. It might not be a bad idea to show the other kids that you're helping find an answer to their brother's problem. Asking them to sacrifice for the sake of their brother might not brew resentment but brotherly love and concern. Especially if it is something other than a bad habit. I wish you luck.

[nyychic]

No we only buy one or two "treats" or boxes of treats a week.  With four children that really isn't much it gives them a treat only 4 days a week if my oldest doesn't find them and eat it all.  These are things that he has done over time as I said it's not all in one sitting it's just that he will eat all of what he takes.  For example, he will take a box of little debbie snacks and eat the entire package or if I buy ice cream he will eat all of that.  It's not that I have cookies cakes ice cream brownies etc. all at once.  I usually let two of the children come shopping with me and the two that get to come each pick one box of treats or whatever they want for the treats for that week.  Then those two boxes are for the family for the week.  I don't eat that kind of stuff myself but the kids like it and I don't think that it's fair to his younger siblings.  I mean they are 6 3 and 2 they really don't understand.  But thanks for the thoughts.