R56.00

HCC Category Mapping

What This Code Means

Brief seizures or convulsions in a child caused by high fever, without any underlying neurological disorder. These seizures typically stop when the fever is treated.

Coding Tips

• •This code is specifically for febrile seizures in children without a history of epilepsy
• •Ensure the fever is documented and coded separately; if seizures occur without fever, use a different code

Clinical Significance

Simple febrile convulsions are brief seizures in children triggered by fever, typically lasting less than 15 minutes and not recurring within 24 hours. While generally benign, these episodes require evaluation to rule out serious infections and monitoring for potential development of epilepsy, with most children having normal neurological development.

Documentation Requirements

• ✓Documentation of seizure associated with fever
• ✓Age of child (typically 6 months to 5 years)
• ✓Duration of seizure (brief, <15 minutes)
• ✓Single episode in 24-hour period
• ✓Generalized tonic-clonic nature
• ✓Temperature recorded during episode
• ✓Neurological examination findings
• ✓Investigation for underlying infection

Commonly Confused Codes