F98.3
BillablePica of infancy and childhood
HCC Category Mapping
RxHCCHCC 133 — Personality Disorders, Anxiety, and Other Specified Mental Disorders
0.000What This Code Means
A persistent eating disorder in children characterized by the consumption of non-food items such as dirt, paint, paper, or other non-nutritive substances.
Coding Tips
- •Confirm that pica is not secondary to nutritional deficiencies (iron, zinc) or other medical conditions before coding
- •Document the specific substances being consumed and the frequency and duration of the behavior
Clinical Significance
Pica of infancy and childhood is significant for risk adjustment as it signals underlying nutritional deficiencies, developmental disorders, or environmental neglect that drive healthcare utilization. Accurate capture ensures appropriate resource allocation for behavioral health interventions and monitoring for complications such as lead poisoning or intestinal obstruction.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Specific non-food substances being consumed (dirt, paint, paper, etc.)
- ✓Duration and frequency of pica behavior
- ✓Age of onset and developmental context
- ✓Ruling out or documenting associated nutritional deficiencies (iron, zinc)
- ✓Assessment for co-occurring developmental or intellectual disabilities
- ✓Any complications from ingestion (lead levels, gastrointestinal issues)
Excludes 1 — Do NOT code together
- pica in adults (F50.83)
Commonly Confused Codes
F50.89 — Other specified eating disorder: used for adults with pica or atypical eating patterns, not childhood-onset picaF98.29 — Other feeding disorders of infancy and early childhood: covers feeding refusal or selective eating, not ingestion of non-food itemsF98.21 — Rumination disorder of infancy: involves regurgitation and re-chewing of food, not consumption of non-nutritive substances
Code Hierarchy
└F98Other behavioral and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence└F98.3Pica of infancy and childhood
└F98.3Pica of infancy and childhood