Speech Therapy ICD 10 Codes Speech Therapy 

Common speech therapy ICD-10 codes

speech therapy ICD codes, ICD codes for speech therapy

Speech therapy ICD 10 code knowledge is a simple, yet important step for clinicians working in almost all settings. Starting a private practice for Speech Therapy? Already have an established practice, but thinking of expanding the range of conditions you’ll treat? Or maybe you primarily work in another setting and are thinking of seeing a few private clients on your own. Speech-Language Pathologists are lucky to have a high level of flexibility within their career and you’ll need to know the Speech therapy ICD 10 codes for all of them.

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Clinicians use Speech therapy ICD 10 codes daily in documentation. Referrals, daily treatment notes, initial assessments, and re-evaluation reports all include ICD-10 codes. Whether you’re an SLP working with children, adults, or both age groups, it’s important to know the correct ICD-10 codes for Speech and Language Disorders.



Some ICD-10 codes for Speech-Language Pathologists are more commonly used than others. A good starting point for SLPs who are beginning to work privately with clients is to be familiar with these codes.

Before getting into the details about the most common Speech therapy ICD 10 codes, some SLPs might need a refresher on what ICD-10 is. Why is it imperative for SLP’s to be familiar with Speech therapy ICD 10 codes, know how to use them, and keep up with changes to codes?

Let’s explore the answers to all of those questions and talk about some of the most common Speech therapy ICD 10 codes.

What is ICD-10?

The World Health Organization (WHO) owns the ICD-10, which stands for International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision. This is the official system used to assign health care codes for various procedures and diagnoses in the U.S.

The “CM” you see in “ICD-10 CM” stands for Clinical Modification. This was developed by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and is intended to be used across healthcare settings in the U.S. It represents the most up to date edition of the ICD-10-CM codes for 2022.

If all of this terminology and coding seems intimidating, you’re not alone. It can sound like a lot to wrap your head around, but we’ll make it simple with this reference guide to the most common Speech therapy ICD 10 codes.

Stay up to date with the most recent ICD-10 codes (there’s an update every year.).

This way, you can comply with HIPAA regulations and ensure payments through Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance companies.



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Top 10 speech therapy ICD 10 codes

The American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) states providers should choose the Speech therapy ICD 10 code(s) that “provide the greatest degree of accuracy and completeness”. Look at the specific characteristics of a given diagnosis and to be sure that these characteristics accurately describe your client’s difficulties.

This list will guide you when evaluating a client and reporting Speech therapy ICD 10 codes for their diagnoses, evaluations and treatment notes.

F80.1 Expressive Language Disorder

According to ASHA, Expressive Language Disorder is an impairment in the “use of a spoken, written, and/or other communication symbol system (e.g., ASL)”. An Expressive Language Disorder may involve impairments with language form, content, or use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for certain clients. This might include a child who has difficulty putting words together with correct grammar or an adult with difficulty using language due to a stroke.

Expressive language disorders are common, with statistics reporting that more than 3% of children in the U.S. have had a language disorder in the past year. In adults, approximately 1 million individuals in the U.S. have Aphasia (certain types fall under F80.1).

F80.2 Mixed Receptive-Expressive Language Disorder

The F80.2 Mixed Receptive Expressive Language Disorder includes the following criteria symptoms:
  • Presence of both a Receptive Language Disorder and an Expressive Language Disorder. This is a common diagnosis seen by SLPs, as 1 in 12 children in the U.S. are estimated to have a disorder related to speech, language, voice, or swallowing.

  • It may include Developmental Dysphasia or Aphasia (receptive), or Developmental Wernicke’s Aphasia, when working with adult clients.

Be sure to look at the exclusions for F80.2, which include Central Auditory Processing Disorder, Dysphasia or Aphasia NOS, Acquired Aphasia with Epilepsy, and other disorders.

More information on coding a Mixed Receptive-Expressive Language Disorder can be found on the TheraPlatform blog.

R48.2 Apraxia

Do you have a client on your caseload with Apraxia? With the prevalence of Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) estimated to be 1 in 1000 children (and rising), it’s likely that you do.

Apraxia of Speech is a motor planning disorder, and you may see the following characteristics in children with this disorder:
  • Atypical and/or inconsistent sound errors

  • Disordered speech intonation

  • Groping movements of oral muscles when trying to imitate or produce certain sounds

  • Distorted vowel productions

  • Errors in voicing

The Speech therapy ICD 10 code R48.2 should be used for the diagnosis of Apraxia. Be sure to reference the TheraPlatform blog article on this code for important details regarding inclusions and exclusions.

R13.1 Dysphagia

This Speech therapy ICD 10 code is commonly used by clinicians, as 1 in 25 adults are estimated to experience a swallowing problem each year.
  • R13.1 Dysphagia can be found under the area of “Symptoms and signs involving the digestive system and abdomen” and include:
    • R13.10 Dysphagia: Unspecified; Difficulty in swallowing NOS
    • R13.11 Dysphagia; Oral phase
    • R13.12 Oropharyngeal phase

And other specific codes which describe a client’s specific phase or level of difficulty with

Swallowing. This code does have exclusions, including Dysphagia following cerebrovascular disease. Refer to our complete guide on the R13.1 ICD-10 code for details.

R63.31 Acute Pediatric Feeding Disorder and R63.32 Chronic Pediatric Feeding Disorder

These 2 Speech therapy ICD 10 codes are relatively new, and took effect in 2022. Speech Therapists working with children who have a Pediatric Feeding Disorder may modify food or liquid textures, recommend certain types of bottles, or provide families with mealtime strategies.

An estimated 1 in 35 children under the age of 5 has a Pediatric Feeding Disorder, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Keep in mind:
  • R63.31 Acute Pediatric Feeding DIsorder: refers to a disorder that has been present for less than 3 months

  • R63.32 Chronic Pediatric Feeding DIsorder: refers to a disorder that has been present for more than 3 months

TheraPlatform’s blog article on the ICD-10 R63.31 and R63.32 codes includes more important details, like the inclusions and exclusions for using these codes.

R47.1 Dysarthria

Pathologists working with pediatric or adult clients should be familiar with the Speech therapy ICD 10 code R47.1 for Dysarthria. Characteristics include weakness of the speech musculature, which results in slurred or slow speech that can be marked by decreased intelligibility.

Clients with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or genetic disorders like Down Syndrome may present with Dysarthria. 1 in 1,000 children from ages 4 to 8 are estimated to have Dysarthria. Visit the TheraPlatform blog for in-depth information and guidance on the R47.1 ICD-10 code.

R48.8 Other Symbolic Dysfunction

The prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder is 1 in 44 children, according to the CDC. Because it is so frequently occuring, SLPs should be familiar with the speech diagnosis appropriate to use with children who have ASD.

R48.4 Other Symbolic Dysfunction refers to organic-based language deficits, including pragmatic disorders, according to ASHA. ASHA also states that this diagnosis should be listed as the primary diagnosis. The Autism Diagnosis (F84.0) or the Asperger’s Syndrome diagnosis (F84.5) should be listed as the secondary diagnosis.

SLPs should note that this code should be differentiated and not used in conjunction with the code F80.2 Mixed Receptive-Expressive Language Disorder.

F80.4 Speech and Language Developmental Delay Due to Hearing Loss

This code is listed by the WHO under Mental, Behavioral, and Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

Criteria symptoms of F80.4 include:
  • An articulation deficit secondary to conductive hearing loss

  • Speech and language developmental delay or disorder with the presence of hearing loss

In 2019, 1.7 per 1,000 babies were found to have hearing loss during newborn screenings. If you are a clinician working with a child who has a history of conductive or sensorineural hearing loss, it’s important to make sure you are familiar with this Speech therapy ICD 10 code.

F80.81 Childhood Onset Fluency Disorders

This code should be used with children who demonstrate a fluency disorder, including stuttering and cluttering. Exclusions for the R80.81 code include adult onset fluency disorder. For this, the F98.5 code should be used.

An estimated 5% to 8% of children stutter, making fluency disorders somewhat common in the United States. Speech Therapists are likely to encounter a child on their caseload who demonstrates stuttering or cluttering.

F80.0 Articulation Disorder and Phonological Disorder

Two of the most common speech disorders that SLPs encounter are the Articulation Disorder or Phonological Disorder. The estimated prevalence of these disorders is 52.7% of children ages 4 to 6 years-old.

F80.0 is the Speech therapy ICD 10 CM code that should be used for the following diagnoses:
  • Speech sound disorder

  • Phonological Disorder

  • Lisp

  • Speech Articulation Disorder

Exclusions to pay attention to include speech articulation disorders due to hearing loss or intellectual disability. Specific ICD-10 codes should be used when referring to an articulation disorder with expressive language disorder (F80.1) or mixed receptive-expressive language disorder (F80.2).



When do speech therapy ICD-10 Codes change?

Updates to ICD-10 codes are released each year and go into effect October 1st. SLP’s should stay in the know about the changes so they can comply with HIPAA and insurance requirements. Therapists can find accurate information on the latest Speech therapy ICD 10 code updates on the CMS website or by using the CDC’sICD-10-CM Lookup tool.

How EHR and practice management software can save you time with insurance billing for therapists

EHRs with integrated billing software and clearing houses, such as TheraPlatform, offer therapists significant advantages in creating an efficient insurance billing process. The key is minimizing the amount of time dedicated to developing, sending, and tracking medical claims through features such as automation and batching. 

What are automation and batching?

  • Automation refers to setting up software to perform tasks with limited human interaction.

  • Batching or performing administrative tasks in blocks of time at once allows you to perform a task from a single entry point with less clicking.

Which billing and medical claim tasks can be automated and batched through billing software?

  • Invoices: Create multiple invoices for multiple clients with a click or two of a button or set up auto-invoice creation, and the software will automatically create invoices for you at the preferred time. You can even have the system automatically send invoices to your clients.

  • Credit card processing: Charge multiple clients with a click of a button or set up auto credit card billing, and the billing software will automatically charge the card (easier than swiping!)

  • Email payment reminders: Never manually send another reminder email for payment again, or skip this altogether by enabling auto credit card charges.  

  • Live claim validation: The system reviews each claim to catch any human errors before submission, saving you time and reducing rejected claims. 

  • Automated payment posting: Streamline posting procedures for paid medical claims with ERA. When insurance offers ERA, all their payments will post automatically on TheraPlatform's EHR.

  • Tracking: Track payment and profits, including aging invoices, overdue invoices, transactions, billed services, service providers.

Utilizing billing software integrated with an EHR and practice management software can make storing and sharing billing and insurance easy and save providers time when it comes to insurance billing for therapists.


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Pediatric feeding disorder ICD-10 codes changed this year. Make sure you’re current with the changes to ensure proper payment. Learn more about it in our blog.

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