Other feeding difficulties

This code signifies various non-specific challenges an individual experiences during the act of eating or being fed, excluding dysphagia or anorexia. It encompasses difficulties such as selective eating, food refusal not due to a mental health disorder, or behavioral issues interfering with adequate nutritional intake. This diagnosis points to a functional impairment in feeding that isn't primarily organic or psychological in nature.

Utilize this code when documentation indicates feeding problems like extreme pickiness, aversion to certain food textures, or behavioral resistance to eating, without a clear underlying medical or psychiatric diagnosis. It is appropriate when the patient is not meeting nutritional needs due to these difficulties, and other more specific feeding disorder codes (e.g., dysphagia, anorexia nervosa) have been ruled out. Supporting documentation should detail the specific feeding behaviors and their impact.

• Do not use this code if the feeding difficulty is attributable to dysphagia (R13.1- series) or a specific eating disorder (F50.- series).
• Consider co-reporting with codes for malnutrition (E40-E46) if the feeding difficulty has led to nutritional deficiencies.
• Ensure the medical record clearly distinguishes "other feeding difficulties" from normal picky eating in children, especially if it impacts growth or development.