is the dr always right

My son Mikey is very hypor,he is not dangerous to himself or others,he just talk's very loud and always has to be buzy,recently the teachers suggested he go to the Dr because they don't want to deal with him.The first words out of my dr.s mouth were,dont rule out rittalin,he doesn't know my son,he only know's I wanted blood work done to make sure Mikey was healthy before looking into other possibilities.The dr said that blood work doesnt need to be done before putting Mikey on a drug to calm him down????however I have a thyroid condition(hypor)and isnt that hereditary?and wouldnt that make a child hypor?anyway i guess my question is,shoul full blood work be done on a 6 year old boy,before putting him on a drug that isnt even recomended by the people who make it for children under the age of 8????
thankyou for your time sherrilynn

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Dear Sherrilynn,

Thyroid conditions can certainly influence activity levels, and with a positive family history it is reasonable to wonder about it. Now, your doctor may have information (e.g., prior studies) that are influencing his decision, but your question is a reasonable one.

Relative to the safety of Ritalin (or other stimulant medications used in the treatment of ADHD), they have been demonstrated over many years to be entirely safe for most children. Of course, the medication needs to be monitored, mostly regarding its effectiveness but also regarding possible side effects. Dr. KDK