Question from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA:

Is there any known link between the use of steroids and the onset of type 1 diabetes? I have an adult friend who was on a steroid treatment following some other medical issues and her doctor told her he would “not renew her steroid prescription after the first six months due to the fact that he would be putting her at risk for diabetes.” I believe that, in this case, the doctor must have been talking about type 2 diabetes, but is this true? And, is there any evidence of this being a trigger factor for type 1 diabetics? My son had a steroid shot to help with his breathing during a bout with the flu approximately four months before his diagnosis. Of course, his trigger could have been the virus as well, but I was just curious if anyone knew of a correlation. I have been unable to find any relevant information on the Internet so far.