Find information on speech difficulty, including dysarthria, aphasia, and speech apraxia. Explore resources for healthcare professionals covering clinical documentation, medical coding, ICD-10 codes, and DSM-5 criteria related to communication disorders and speech impairments. Learn about assessment, diagnosis, and treatment options for patients experiencing difficulty speaking. This resource provides valuable insights for clinicians, therapists, and coders working with individuals facing challenges in verbal communication.
Also known as
Dysphasia and aphasia
Covers various difficulties with speech and language comprehension.
Specific developmental disorders of speech and language
Relates to speech and language development issues in children.
Sequelae of cerebrovascular disease
Speech difficulty can be a residual effect of stroke or other cerebrovascular events.
Follow this step-by-step guide to choose the correct ICD-10 code.
Is speech difficulty due to aphasia?
Yes
Specify aphasia type
No
Is it dysarthria?
When to use each related code
| Description |
|---|
| Speech difficulty |
| Aphasia |
| Dysarthria |
Coding speech difficulty as R47.9 (Unspecified) without sufficient documentation specifying the type creates audit risks and impacts reimbursement.
Miscoding dysarthria (motor speech disorder) as aphasia (language disorder) leads to inaccurate data reporting and potential claim denials.
Failing to code underlying conditions contributing to speech difficulty, such as stroke or cerebral palsy, impacts quality metrics and case mix index (CMI).
Patient presents with speech difficulty (dysarthria, dysphasia), impacting communication and quality of life. Onset of symptoms was (gradual, sudden) approximately (duration) ago. Patient reports (specific difficulties e.g., difficulty articulating words, slurred speech, finding words, understanding spoken language, hoarseness, voice changes, stuttering, cluttering). Associated symptoms include (e.g., drooling, facial weakness, swallowing difficulties dysphagia, limb weakness, cognitive changes, headache, dizziness). Patient's medical history includes (relevant medical conditions e.g., stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ALS, traumatic brain injury TBI, cerebral palsy, Bell's palsy, head and neck cancer, dementia, myasthenia gravis). Family history is positive negative for (relevant conditions e.g., stroke, communication disorders). Social history includes (e.g., smoking, alcohol use, occupation). Physical examination reveals (e.g., normal or abnormal oral motor exam, cranial nerve examination findings, presence of tremors, muscle weakness, cognitive assessment findings). Differential diagnosis includes (e.g., dysarthria, aphasia, apraxia of speech, dysphonia, voice disorders, cognitive communication deficits). Assessment suggests (severity - mild, moderate, severe) speech difficulty. Plan includes (e.g., referral to speech-language pathologist SLP for evaluation and treatment, further neurological evaluation, imaging studies such as MRI of the brain, modified barium swallow study MBSS if dysphagia is suspected, cognitive evaluation). Patient education provided regarding speech therapy techniques, communication strategies, and potential prognosis. Follow-up scheduled in (duration) to monitor progress and adjust treatment plan as needed. ICD-10 code (e.g., R47.0 for Dysarthria and anarthria) and CPT codes (e.g., 92506 for speech and language therapy evaluation) will be applied based on the final diagnosis and treatment provided.