Dyslexia & ADD

I have been wondering lately if my middle child has dyslexia. I began teaching her reading with phonics, but then realized that she learned the phonics rules just fine, but never really could move that knowledge over to reading actual words. She's technically in second grade. She still flips letters around, while reading out loud she mixes up words, skips words all together and sometimes just reads words that aren't even around, but they go with the context and her spelling is not great. I know I have wondered, how in the world do you think those letters go in that word?

Yesterday I checked on some information on dyslexia. As I was checking things out, I was surprised how some of the symptoms were also symptoms of ADD (which I have) and how dyslexia and ADD as so many disorders can go together. Of course I started wondering, "Am I dyslexic?".

I also learned that most schools don't test for dyslexia, because it's not considered a medical condition. Also because it's not a medical condition, insurance usually doesn't cover it.

I'm still torn with testing kids. Mostly because I didn't find out about myself until I was 25. I feel I made it half way decently without knowing. I did struggle with things (still do) and I know I drove my Mom crazy with some of the things I did. At the same time, I have wondered if I had known and gotten help earlier, would that have been better or would it have labeled me and made more excuses for me?

I've also been debating the whole medication thing lately. I know I function much better medicated, but I always feel medicated. I hate feeling medicated, but I like functioning better. I know I have to be careful about depression, because I have done that before--another one of those things that goes hand in hand with ADD. I haven't been medicated for about 5 years, so I have survived, but I know a good portion of those years, surviving is all I have done.

Let me know if you have any great information on either of these!