F98.9

Learn about the ICD-10 code F98.9 – Unspecified behavioral and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence.

By Joshua Napilay on Feb 29, 2024.

Fact Checked by RJ Gumban.

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F98.9

F98.9 Diagnosis Code: Unspecified behavioral and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence

The ICD-10 F98.9 diagnosis code designates Unspecified behavioral and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence. This is meant to be used on a patient confirmed to have a behavioral or emotional condition that started back in their childhood or adolescence.

It’s part of the ICD-10 code group that includes ICD-10 codes for the following:

  • Enuresis
  • Encopresis
  • Other feeding disorders
  • Rumination disorder of infancy
  • Pica of infancy
  • Stereotyped movement disorders
  • Adult onset fluency disorder
  • Other behavioral and emotional disorders

Since this ICD-10 code has an unspecified label, you can only use it if you haven’t determined your patient's specific behavioral and/or emotional disorder(s).

Once you’ve determined the specific behavioral/emotional disorder, you need to pick a more specific ICD-10 code.

Is F98.9 billable?

Yes. This ICD-10 code is valid and billable.

Clinical information about behavioral/emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood/adolescence:

When medical professionals speak of behavioral and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence, they refer to certain disorders with certain symptoms and observable characteristics that start during a person’s formative years.

These disorders can stunt a child’s academic, emotional, and social development if they aren’t diagnosed and treated early. It’s essential for parents, guardians, teachers, and other people who have a relationship with a child to look out for observable characteristics of particular disorders and then have them checked as soon as they notice these characteristics.

The sooner these disorders are detected, the better they’ll be managed. If these disorders are managed well, they shouldn’t pose a problem as the child grows up and shouldn’t be much of a bother during their adult years.

Examples of such disorders include:

  • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Conduct Disorder (CD)
  • Anorexia Nervosa
  • Bulimia Nervosa
  • Binge-eating Disorder
  • Reactive Attachment Disorder
  • Anxiety Disorder
  • Separation Anxiety Disorder
  • Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

Synonyms include:

  • Adolescent behavior alteration
  • Behavioral and emotional disorder with onset in childhood
  • Childhood disorder of conduct and emotion
  • Conduct disorder, childhood-onset type
  • Mental disorder in adolescence
  • Mental disorder in childhood
  • Psychiatric behavioral disability
  • Psychiatric treatment changed
  • Psychiatric treatment started
  • F98.9
  • F98.9 diagnosis code
  • F98.9 stimulant use disorder
  • F98.9 ICD 10
  • ICD 10 F98.9

Other ICD-10 codes commonly used on behavioral and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence:

  • F98.0 - Enuresis not due to a substance or known physiological condition
  • F98.1 - Encopresis not due to a substance or known physiological condition
  • F98.21 - Rumination disorder of infancy
  • F98.29 - Other feeding disorders of infancy and early childhood
  • F98.3 - Pica of infancy and childhood
  • F98.4 - Stereotyped movement disorders 
  • F98.5 - Adult onset fluency disorder 
  • F98.8 - Other specified behavioral and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence

How can Carepatron help with your ICD-10 needs?

Carepatron has many ICD-related guides that you can read! They are up-to-date and provide the necessary information when determining what ICD-10 codes you should use for your patients, especially when you need to refresh about particular codes or if you’re unsure which ones you should use.

Our ICD guides will not only inform you about the general information about the ICD-10 codes, but they will also inform you about the proper search terms for specific issues.

The guides will also inform you about clinical information regarding the issues the codes cover and whether the codes you plan on using are valid and billable, if they have specific labels like subsequent encounter and unspecified, if they can’t be used as principal diagnoses, and if they’re only for male or female patients.

Consider using our platform to help you prepare for ICD-10 coding processes, documentation, and billing!

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