2025 ICD-10-CM code F80
This code represents a group of disorders characterized by disturbed language acquisition from early development, not attributed to neurological, sensory, or environmental factors.
Medical necessity for services related to F80 is established by demonstrating the functional impairment caused by the language disorder and how the proposed intervention (e.g., speech therapy) will address those impairments and improve the child's ability to communicate.
Clinicians diagnosing F80 should differentiate it from conditions like intellectual disability, hearing loss, or physical impairments affecting speech. Diagnosis involves assessing the patient's history, conducting a physical exam, and comparing the symptoms with established diagnostic criteria like those in the DSM.Additional tests to rule out other conditions may be necessary.
In simple words: Specific developmental disorders of speech and language describe a child's significant speech and language impairment compared to the expected development.These difficulties are not due to hearing or intellectual problems, physical issues with the mouth or tongue, or emotional or environmental factors. They can affect how a child speaks, understands, and uses language.
Specific developmental disorders of speech and language are conditions where the typical progression of language learning is disrupted from the initial stages of development. These disorders are not directly caused by neurological or speech mechanism issues, sensory impairments (like hearing loss), intellectual disabilities, or environmental influences. These disorders frequently lead to related problems such as reading and spelling difficulties, challenges in social interactions, and emotional or behavioral disorders.
Example 1: A 5-year-old child has difficulty pronouncing certain sounds and forming coherent sentences, impacting their ability to communicate effectively with peers and family.Other potential causes have been ruled out, leading to a diagnosis of a specific speech articulation disorder (F80.0)., A 7-year-old child struggles with expressing themselves verbally, despite understanding language at an age-appropriate level. They use simple sentences and struggle with vocabulary, leading to an expressive language disorder diagnosis (F80.1)., A 6-year-old child demonstrates difficulty understanding spoken language and following instructions. They often misinterpret what others say. After ruling out other causes, they are diagnosed with receptive language disorder (F80.2).
Documentation should include a detailed history of the child's language development, results of speech and language assessments, any relevant testing to exclude other conditions (e.g., hearing tests, cognitive assessments), and details of the impact of the disorder on the child's daily life.
- Specialties:Speech-Language Pathology, Pediatrics, Developmental Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Psychology
- Place of Service:Office, Outpatient Hospital, Inpatient Hospital, School,Early Intervention Program