ICD-10 Guide

Febrile Convulsion

ICD-10 Coding for Febrile Convulsion(R56.00, R56.01)

PRIMARY SPECIALTYPediatrics

COMPLEXITYHigh

LAST UPDATED09/15/2025

Sam Tuffun, PT, DPT

Physical Therapist | Medical Coding & Billing Contributor

Diagnosis Overview

What is Febrile Convulsion?

Essential facts and insights about Febrile Convulsion

Key Clinical Considerations:

Seizure occurring in a child aged 6 months to 5 years
Fever (temperature > 38°C or 100.4°F) at the time of the seizure
Generalized tonic-clonic seizure or focal seizure

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Patient's age and fever status at the time of the seizure
Duration and type of seizure
Neurological exam findings postictally

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Use R56.0 for uncomplicated febrile convulsions; consider additional codes for recurrent episodes.
Common errors include misclassifying febrile convulsions as epilepsy.

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Epilepsy and other seizure disorders
Febrile seizures with neurological deficits

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Pediatrics

Specialty Applications

Pediatric patients aged 6 months to 5 years
Emergency departments and pediatric clinics

Coding Complexity

High Complexity

This diagnosis requires careful attention to:

Comprehensive clinical documentation
Accurate code selection based on clinical criteria
Proper exclusion considerations
Specialty-specific coding guidelines

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Ensure proper documentation for billing
Verify code specificity requirements
Check for any additional codes needed
Review payer-specific guidelines

Common Issues

Insufficient clinical documentation
Incorrect code selection
Missing supporting diagnoses
Timing and frequency documentation

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the documentation requirements?

Document the patient's age, fever status, seizure type, and duration.

What are the billing considerations?

Ensure accurate coding of the diagnosis and any associated services provided.

Febrile Convulsion

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the documentation requirements?

What are the billing considerations?

Febrile Convulsion

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the documentation requirements?

What are the billing considerations?