The risk for celiac disease may run in the family. If a close relative (parent, child, or sibling) has it, your chances of having it are higher.
When a person has inherited this risk, an infection or something else in the environment can trigger changes in the small intestine and cause celiac disease.
Also, celiac disease is more common in people who have:
- Type 1 diabetes.
- Autoimmune thyroid disease.
- Down syndrome.
- Sjögren's syndrome.
- Selective antibody deficiency (immunoglobulin A [IgA] deficiency).