We can get Boyds up here and yes they are very affordable. I like synthetics stocks more but they are quite costly up here thanks to our low dollar.

its NOT just the stock, its hopw the stock fet this person, if they have small hands, odds are they need a stock with a grip closer to the trigger, , so they can have a better hold on the gun, just swapping stocks(as many just copy the OEM for grip location and size) isn't going to change the distance on the grip to trigger,

I would suggest to measure from grip to first stock bolt hole and current stock and any possible replacement one's
so you can get a better idea if "X" brand stock is any better or not before spending any money
a thumb hole stock, will most likely also have the same distances or Worse, as many have like a palm swell, and if this OP has a small hand, that can make matters worse for them, as there part of the hand getting hit at recoil will still be there to get hit
MIGHT allow some more meat to hols, but again if small hands now are getting hit, its most likely due to they cannot hold onto the current stock properly and the hand is coming off and getting HIT
so a larger thumb hole or palm swelled stock small hands cannot hold tight enough I guess and come off at recoil

sort of a form issue due to size of shooter here I think

I actually tend to hold all stocks with a light grip. The more we grip the stock the more hand shake we add. I also do not hold the fore arm of the stock when I shoot. The gun just sits on the bags and I squeeze the trigger. A palm swell like my old Tikka's have actually seems to help. It is like the Remington stocks come straight back into my fingers. Winchester stocks don't and for the most part they look a lot like the Remington stocks.

I agree with you on NOT squeezing the stock tight like
but after so many yrs of selling guns, and seeing kids and women and smaller framed men, I have seen how its not just how they hold the stock, its the stock itself , the grip just being far from the trigger, ,. so they end up NOT holding the stock right at all, to get a good finger contact with the trigger, which then seems to cause the recoil to hit them as there sort of free floating there hand as to actually holding the stock
as again, MOST Youth gins just have shorter butt stocks, and that does NOTHING for there hands and fingers reaching the trigger better
there are a couple guns out there now that actually corrected this issue, by making there guns FIT properly smaller handed and arms shooters
which is again why I suggest measuring the grip to stock mounting hole, as if you measure this distance, you can look at stocks that have closer measurements than a the current stock and find one that might fit a LOT better! and work better for the OP
over trading the gun in on a different rifle maybe, as JUST buying a different stock WON"T assure them its any better without knowing the measurement before hand!

Do you think it would be possible to alter the stock in the wrist grip area. Or would this kind of alteration weaken a stock to much.

palm swells can be added, so I am sure you can mod a stock to help,m if you have the skills
but if it was me I would just talk to a sock builder and see what they can do , many will work with you and they have the means to make it right and look well and last long
think about it this way, MOST folks own a rifle a LONG time, so, its money well spent call it an investment, make shooting more enjoyable and hunting too
its why a well fitting shotgun makes you a better shooter
same with any gun,
one that fits you better you will shoot it better, working together over fighting things
and again there are YOUTH like rifles with these mods already in place

I am seriously thinking of a Boyds thumb hole now. I have a Savage Bmag with the thumb hole stock and really like the feel of it. Although mrbb mentioned a palm swell wich my old Tikka has and that has a great feel too.