Q: I was diagnosed with Addison’s disease in October 1996 when I was six months pregnant. My baby is now eight months old. How likely is my baby and my seven year old to develop Addison’s disease or any other autoimmune disorder and should any specific test be carried out.

A: There certainly an increased incidence of organ specific autoimmune disease in the blood relatives of patients who have an organ specific autoimmune disease such as Addison’s disease. Thus your member’s baby does have a slightly increased risk if getting Addison’s disease but it might equally be thyroid deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency or insulin dependent diabetes millitus. The increased risk is only slightly greater than in the general population and certainly should not be the cause of concern. The organ specific autoimmune disease, of whichever sort, may come on at any time throughout the blood relative’s life and it would be unusual for such a disease to develop in childhood. Thus there is no need for any specific test to be carried out nor indeed any particular enhanced surveillance or cause for concern. As children grow up they merely need to know that their mother had an autoimmune disease and they should report this to any doctor that the need to consult in the future, There is no need for any further enhanced concern