ICD-10-CM Code For Specific Developmental Disorders Of Speech And Language: Group Overview

The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) code group F80 includes developmental disorders of speech and language such as expressive language disorder, mixed receptive-expressive language disorder, phonological disorder, and stuttering, covering impairments in speech production, comprehension, and verbal expression. These ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes are used to document clinical encounters for children with primary communication impairments, capturing severity, affected language domains, and intervention needs. Accurate coding within the ICD-10-CM F80 group supports proper claim adjudication, complete clinical documentation, and appropriate reimbursement.

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ICD-10-CM F80: Specific Developmental Disorders Of Speech And Language Overview

The ICD-10-CM F80 group covers specific developmental disorders that primarily affect speech and language acquisition in children. These diagnoses target communication functions of the nervous system and related developmental processes. Accurate coding matters for appropriate reimbursement and for reflecting the clinical complexity of communication disorders.

When to Use

Use codes from this group when a patient presents with primary developmental impairments in speech production, language comprehension, or verbal expression documented by a qualified clinician. These codes are selected when the communication disorder is the principal focus of care or significantly influences treatment planning and service provision.

ICD-10-CM Codes

8 rows

ICD-10-CM Code	Description
F80.0	Phonological disorder
F80.1	Expressive language disorder
F80.2	Mixed receptive-expressive language disorder
F80.4	Speech and language development delay due to hearing loss
F80.81	Childhood onset fluency disorder
F80.82	Social pragmatic communication disorder
F80.89	Other developmental disorders of speech and language
F80.9	Developmental disorder of speech and language, unspecified

DRG Codes

4 rows

DRG Code	Description
091	Other Disorders of Nervous System with MCC
092	Other Disorders of Nervous System with CC
093	Other Disorders of Nervous System without CC/MCC
886	Behavioral and Developmental Disorders

Typical Clinical Scenarios

A 4-year-old child with normal hearing and no intellectual disability is brought by parents for persistent difficulties in producing age-appropriate speech sounds; the child omits and substitutes consonants, has reduced speech intelligibility, and has failed to make expected progress after targeted preschool speech therapy. The concern is developmental and not due to neurological injury or structural abnormalities, so a specific developmental speech disorder diagnosis is assigned. Typical codes: F80.0, F80.9
A 6-year-old in early elementary school is evaluated for marked delays in expressive language: limited vocabulary, short utterances, and difficulty forming grammatically correct sentences that interfere with classroom communication and reading readiness; hearing is intact and milestones were otherwise appropriate. Because the deficits are in expressive language development rather than overall cognition, a specific developmental language disorder diagnosis is used to document the chronic communication impairment affecting education. Typical codes: F80.1, F80.9
A school-aged child with a known diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder presents with selective mutism and persistent pragmatic language problems affecting social interaction and academic performance; the clinician documents a co-occurring specific developmental disorder of speech and language to capture the additional communication impairment requiring speech-language intervention. Typical codes: F80.82, F80.89

ICD-10-CM Code For Specific Developmental Disorders Of Scholastic Skills: Group Overview

F82-SPECIFIC-DEVELOPMENTAL-DISORDER-OF-MOTOR-FUNCTION

ICD-10-CM Code For Specific Developmental Disorder Of Motor Function: Group Overview

F84-PERVASIVE-DEVELOPMENTAL-DISORDERS

ICD-10-CM Code For Pervasive Developmental Disorders: Group Overview

F88-OTHER-DISORDERS-OF-PSYCHOLOGICAL-DEVELOPMENT

ICD-10-CM Code For Other Disorders Of Psychological Development: Group Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

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When to Use

ICD-10-CM Codes

8 rows

ICD-10-CM Code	Description
F80.0	Phonological disorder
F80.1	Expressive language disorder
F80.2	Mixed receptive-expressive language disorder
F80.4	Speech and language development delay due to hearing loss
F80.81	Childhood onset fluency disorder
F80.82	Social pragmatic communication disorder
F80.89	Other developmental disorders of speech and language
F80.9	Developmental disorder of speech and language, unspecified

DRG Codes

4 rows

DRG Code	Description
091	Other Disorders of Nervous System with MCC
092	Other Disorders of Nervous System with CC
093	Other Disorders of Nervous System without CC/MCC
886	Behavioral and Developmental Disorders

Typical Clinical Scenarios

A 4-year-old child with normal hearing and no intellectual disability is brought by parents for persistent difficulties in producing age-appropriate speech sounds; the child omits and substitutes consonants, has reduced speech intelligibility, and has failed to make expected progress after targeted preschool speech therapy. The concern is developmental and not due to neurological injury or structural abnormalities, so a specific developmental speech disorder diagnosis is assigned. Typical codes: F80.0, F80.9
A 6-year-old in early elementary school is evaluated for marked delays in expressive language: limited vocabulary, short utterances, and difficulty forming grammatically correct sentences that interfere with classroom communication and reading readiness; hearing is intact and milestones were otherwise appropriate. Because the deficits are in expressive language development rather than overall cognition, a specific developmental language disorder diagnosis is used to document the chronic communication impairment affecting education. Typical codes: F80.1, F80.9
A school-aged child with a known diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder presents with selective mutism and persistent pragmatic language problems affecting social interaction and academic performance; the clinician documents a co-occurring specific developmental disorder of speech and language to capture the additional communication impairment requiring speech-language intervention. Typical codes: F80.82, F80.89

ICD-10-CM Code For Specific Developmental Disorders Of Scholastic Skills: Group Overview

F82-SPECIFIC-DEVELOPMENTAL-DISORDER-OF-MOTOR-FUNCTION

ICD-10-CM Code For Specific Developmental Disorder Of Motor Function: Group Overview

F84-PERVASIVE-DEVELOPMENTAL-DISORDERS

ICD-10-CM Code For Pervasive Developmental Disorders: Group Overview

F88-OTHER-DISORDERS-OF-PSYCHOLOGICAL-DEVELOPMENT

ICD-10-CM Code For Other Disorders Of Psychological Development: Group Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

ICD-10-CM Code For Specific Developmental Disorders Of Speech And Language: Group Overview

Sign up for ICD-10-CM Code For Specific Developmental Disorders Of Speech And Language: Group Overview policy alerts

ICD-10-CM F80: Specific Developmental Disorders Of Speech And Language Overview

ICD-10-CM Code For Specific Developmental Disorders Of Speech And Language: Group Overview

Sign up for ICD-10-CM Code For Specific Developmental Disorders Of Speech And Language: Group Overview policy alerts

ICD-10-CM F80: Specific Developmental Disorders Of Speech And Language Overview

When to Use

ICD-10-CM Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

References

When to Use

ICD-10-CM Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

References

ICD-10-CM Code For Specific Developmental Disorders Of Speech And Language: Group Overview

Sign up for ICD-10-CM Code For Specific Developmental Disorders Of Speech And Language: Group Overview policy alerts

ICD-10-CM F80: Specific Developmental Disorders Of Speech And Language Overview

ICD-10-CM Code For Specific Developmental Disorders Of Speech And Language: Group Overview

Sign up for ICD-10-CM Code For Specific Developmental Disorders Of Speech And Language: Group Overview policy alerts

ICD-10-CM F80: Specific Developmental Disorders Of Speech And Language Overview

When to Use

ICD-10-CM Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which diagnoses are included in the ICD-10-CM F80 group?

What clinical features do F80 group codes capture?

Why is accurate coding within the `F80` group important for billing and reimbursement?

Which related DRGs may be relevant when F80 group diagnoses are reported?

Can the `F80` group be used for adults with communication impairments?

References

When to Use

ICD-10-CM Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which diagnoses are included in the ICD-10-CM F80 group?

What clinical features do F80 group codes capture?

Why is accurate coding within the `F80` group important for billing and reimbursement?

Which related DRGs may be relevant when F80 group diagnoses are reported?

Can the `F80` group be used for adults with communication impairments?

References