Behavioral insomnia of childhood

This code identifies a sleep disorder in children characterized by difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep due to learned maladaptive sleep associations or a lack of consistent bedtime routines and limits. It often manifests as a child needing specific conditions (e.g., rocking, feeding, parental presence) to fall asleep, or resisting bedtime.

Assign this code when documentation indicates a pediatric patient's insomnia is primarily behavioral in origin, such as sleep-onset association disorder or limit-setting sleep disorder. This is applicable when the child's sleep disturbance is not attributable to another medical condition, psychiatric disorder, or substance use.

• Ensure documentation clearly specifies the behavioral nature of the insomnia in a child.
• Distinguish from other forms of insomnia or sleep disorders that have different etiologies.
• Consider co-occurring conditions, but only assign this code if the primary issue is behavioral insomnia.