The ICD-10 Code for Specific Developmental Disorder of Motor Function

Motor functions are essential for daily life. We use our hands and bodies for a variety of tasks, including brushing our teeth, eating, doing academic work, and caring for ourselves. When difficulty with those motor skills is evident, it can be difficult to get through the day without assistance. If you’re working with a client who has trouble with motor functions, you have many treatment options to help them develop skills and learn how to perform various tasks. 

It’s also important to know how to specify this particular condition for insurance, billing, and treatment purposes. The ICD-10 code for Specific Developmental Disorder of Motor Function is F82.

The Importance of ICD-10 Codes

To standardize things and allow for better communication between providers, insurance companies, and others involved in the healthcare field, the industry adopted the use of International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes. ICD codes are typically generated by healthcare providers after they meet with clients, and these codes can then be used for billing and claims reimbursements. They can also be helpful when organizations are trying to collect data during research or surveillance projects. For instance, if researchers are studying the changing prevalence of a certain condition, the use of ICD codes can be very valuable to them.

As of 2015, any organization that’s covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) must use ICD-10 codes. There are many more ICD-10 procedural and diagnostic codes than ICD-9 codes, and some codes have been categorized differently to allow for better organization. While ICD-9 codes included many all-numeric codes, ICD-10 codes have alphanumeric codes. With a greater level of detail in the ICD-10 code sets, people involved in the healthcare industry can track more specific conditions, and this can encourage more efficient healthcare utilization. Clients can benefit as a result of all of this.

F82 ICD-10 Code Is Applicable to Many Conditions

You can use the ICD-10 code of F82 for a variety of patients. It’s important to note that if there is a lack of coordination or an abnormality of gait and mobility, you may want to use a different code. However, a lack of coordination secondary to intellectual disabilities may be present along with a specific developmental disorder of motor functions.

Clumsiness, Developmental Coordination Disorder, and Dyspraxia

In the past, providers may have used the term “clumsy child syndrome” to describe children who have had issues with motor control and balance. Generally, we now describe this condition as developmental coordination disorder (DCD) or dyspraxia. DCD can cause a variety of problems, and one client with the condition may present differently than another. Since we’re often dealing with children with this condition, the age of the client affects the diagnosis and treatment plan as well.

Infants

Babies all develop at different rates, but there are general milestones that many children meet by a certain age. For example, at two months, most babies can look at faces, calm down when spoken to or picked up, and smile. At six months, most babies can reach out to grab toys, and they often put things in their mouth. In addition, most babies at this ages can roll from their tummies to their backs, and when laying on their tummies, they can push themselves up with their arms.

Toddlers

At 1 year of age, children may be able to stand with assistance, drink from a cup, and pick up things by using their thumbs and pointer fingers. Walking is typically accomplished by 18 months, and at this age, toddlers may be able to attempt to use spoons, feed themselves with their fingers, climb onto couches, and scribble.

Older Children

As children grow older, they become more adept at fine-motor tasks. These tasks are often used in school when children draw, cut, make puzzles, do crafts, and write. Milestones for age 4, for example, include holding a crayon or a pencil with their fingers and thumbs, unbuttoning shirts and pants and dressing themselves, and catching large balls (or at least catching large balls most of the time).

When children go to school, DCD can present itself in many ways. Not only can children have trouble with physical tasks like jumping, catching, throwing, and kicking, but they can also have difficulty with staying still, handwriting, and staying organized. This may translate into problems with following directions and taking part in group activities. This has the potential to lead to feelings of low self-esteem, and children can start to act out or withdraw if certain parts of the school day become challenging.

DCD can further manifest itself in other ways. Children with DCD can be irritable and uncomfortable in certain situations, they may exhibit sensitivity to loud noises and might have trouble eating certain foods. Sleep patterns can be affected by DCD as well, and this can contribute to irritability and fatigue. Unfortunately, some issues can turn into a cycle that lead into other issues.

Dyspraxia in Adults

Adults who have DCD may have the same symptoms that children with DCD have. For example, they may have a hard time settling down at night and getting a restful sleep. When they wake up, they may feel tired and irritable, and they could have trouble concentrating on tasks. At work, they could struggle with keeping things organized and planning ahead as well as anything that involves teamwork could pose a problem.

Risk Factors for DCD

It’s not clear what causes developmental coordination disorder or a condition that requires the use of the ICD-10 code for Specific Developmental Disorder of Motor Function. However, we do know that many things are correlated with this condition. The risk factors associated with DCD include premature birth, low birth weight, family history of DCD, and maternal use of drugs or alcohol during pregnancy. During an assessment, this information is important to note because of its association with DCD. Further, many children with certain conditions may be more likely to have DCD. For instance, children with ADHD or apraxia (which is a speech condition), may also have challenges with physical tasks. 

DCD or Dyspraxia Treatment

The way you approach DCD will depend on your individual client. During an initial appointment, you’ll need to gather medical history and other relevant information. You may need to conduct a few basic tests to obtain specific information as to how a child of a certain age can grasp a crayon or write their name, for example. Speaking with parents is very valuable, and remember to get the children’s perspective as well, to the extent possible.

In some cases, children may not need any specific treatment. They may be behind their peers in terms of fine motor skills and gross motor skills, but with practice and instruction at home or from someone at school, they may catch up.

However, many people do require some sort of treatment so that they can improve their abilities. Hopefully, their condition does not end up affecting their daily routine too much. If it does, they may benefit from accommodations and various types of treatments. If a patient is coming to you so to address their motor problems, then obviously they intend to develop themselves further. 

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

ABA can improve skills in many areas. ABA is tailored to individual clients, and it can involve discrete trial training or play-based activities, among other approaches. The goal is usually to gain skills and confidence on specific tasks, and a side effect of ABA could be enhanced communication, better focus, and reduced frustration. 

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy can be very helpful for people with DCD. An occupational therapist may, for instance, assist with handwriting and come up with different activities that can strengthen the hand and improve control. Likewise, other activities can encourage children to become more adept at using scissors, putting on and removing clothing, and tying shoes. It is these skills that can affect a daily routine and are very important to learn.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy can improve mobility and coordination. Typically, physical therapists would work with other healthcare providers to help clients meet their individual goals. 

Psychologists

Speaking with a psychologist may be able to help clients who are having trouble with motor functions. That’s because, as we’ve mentioned, these kinds of problems can affect self-esteem. Visiting with a psychologist may be able to add more useful information that can affect treatment and future plans.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy is also known as talk therapy, and it can be effective at changing the way clients think and behave. This kind of therapy can help clients with motor function problems deal with situations that may seem overwhelming at first. They can learn to approach situations with greater confidence, knowing that they can break up large tasks into smaller ones. Plus, they’ll learn that their thoughts, feelings, and actions are all connected, and they can hopefully make the right adjustments to put themselves in better positions.

Moving Forward

It’s important to recognize that people with motor function difficulties do not share all of the same qualities. Yes, there are many things that they have in common since they find certain physical tasks quite challenging. The way they respond to the challenges can vary, as can how these challenges affect their ability to handle daily activities. If their condition prevents them from being successful at certain daily tasks, treatment may prove useful. As clients learn new skills, treatment plans will have to be altered. Frequent assessments can allow providers to gather important data and determine the best plan to take moving forward.

Using AutoNotes

Dealing with individuals who are classified under the ICD-10 code, F82, for Specific Developmental Disorder of Motor Function can involve a lot of paperwork. Completing all of this paperwork can take you considerable time, so it would be great if there were a way to make this part of your work go faster. With new advancements in the industry, there is a new way to write out your notes. By using AutoNotes, which is an AI-based program that can assist you with writing notes, you can free up your time. As a result, you may be able to schedule more face-to-face time with clients, you may have more time to answer questions from clients or their parents, and you may be better able to create a healthy work-life balance.

AutoNotes can take the information that you enter into its program and turn it into a well-written, grammatically correct document. It’s much faster to enter data or observations into a template rather than typing everything out on your own. Plus, you have the opportunity to customize the template that you use as well as make adjustments to the final product, and everything can be saved digitally or printed out as a future reference. You’ll still be in control over how you conduct your practice. The difference is that you’ll be able to get things done with more efficiency. You and your clients can benefit, as a result.