Child psychological abuse, suspected, sequela

This code indicates a suspected case of psychological abuse in a child, where the long-term effects or complications of the abuse are being addressed. It is used when there is a strong suspicion of past psychological abuse, but it has not yet been definitively confirmed. The "sequela" aspect signifies that the current clinical encounter is focused on conditions or symptoms resulting from the suspected abuse.

Use this code when a child presents with psychological or behavioral issues (e.g., anxiety, depression, developmental delays, attachment disorders) that are believed to be the consequence of suspected psychological abuse. This code is appropriate for initial evaluations or follow-up visits where the focus is on managing these sequelae while the abuse investigation or confirmation is ongoing.

• Always use in conjunction with codes for the specific psychological or behavioral sequelae observed (e.g., F43.21 for adjustment disorder).
• The "S" in the seventh character indicates sequela, meaning the current encounter is for the late effects of the suspected abuse.
• Do not use if psychological abuse is confirmed; instead, use the appropriate confirmed abuse code.