My son has both type 1 diabetes and celiac disease. If he had celiac disease first, could the diabetes be complication of that?

What your son has is now called the Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndrome Type II which is a condition in which a number of autoimmune disorders may occur in the same person. In someone who has type 1 diabetes, the most common associated problem is hypothyroidism which should always be tested for as it is so easily remedied. About 8% of this group also have the celiac disease and less than 2% a defect in the adrenal enzyme 21-hydroxylase. For this reason there is also a case for screening for anti 21-hydroxylase antibodies which you might discuss with your son’s doctor.

As to which condition comes first, this is hard to answer as they all have a common genetic predisposition, all that can be said is that whilst only 8% of people with type 1A (autoimmune) autoimmune diabetes get celiac disease — far fewer individuals with celiac disease get diabetes. In addition, there is wide variation both in the components and in which order they present.

DOB