- F98
- Childhood & Adolescent Disorders
Other Behavioural and Emotional Disorders with Onset in Childhood (F98)
DSM-5-TR: Other Specified / Unspecified Neurodevelopmental or Behavioural Disorder
ICD-10-AM and DSM-5-TR may classify conditions differently. Refer to APA and WHO for complete diagnostic criteria.
Key Facts
- ICD-10 RangeF90-F98
- Subcodes9 subcodes
- Australian PrevalenceEnuresis affects approximately 15-20% of 5-year-olds and 1-2% of adults. Stuttering affects approximately 1% of the Australian population.
- Global PrevalenceEnuresis prevalence varies widely by age and definition. Stuttering affects approximately 1% of the world population.
- Duration RequirementVariable depending on specific condition
Overview
A heterogeneous group of disorders that share the characteristic of onset usually during childhood and infancy, but differ considerably in many other respects. Some represent well-defined syndromes, while others are no more than symptom complexes requiring inclusion because of their frequency and association with psychosocial problems.
Diagnostic Criteria (ICD-10)
Core Features
- Heterogeneous group of disorders sharing onset in childhood
- Conditions differ considerably in their nature
- Some represent well-defined syndromes; others are no more than symptom complexes
Duration Variable depending on specific condition
Exclusion Criteria
- Conditions better classified under F90-F95
ICD-10-AM Subcodes
| Code | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| F98.0 | Nonorganic enuresis | Involuntary voiding of urine, by day and/or by night, abnormal in relation to the child's mental age, not due to a physical condition. |
| F98.1 | Nonorganic encopresis | Repeated voluntary or involuntary passage of faeces in inappropriate places, not due to organic conditions. |
| F98.2 | Feeding disorder of infancy and childhood | Feeding disorder of varying manifestations, usually specific to infancy and early childhood. |
| F98.3 | Pica of infancy and childhood | Persistent eating of non-nutritive substances (soil, paint chips, etc.). |
| F98.4 | Stereotyped movement disorders | Voluntary, repetitive, stereotyped, nonfunctional movements (body rocking, head banging, hair pulling, self-biting). |
| F98.5 | Stuttering (stammering) | Speech characterised by frequent repetition or prolongation of sounds, syllables, or words, or frequent hesitations or pauses. |
| F98.6 | Cluttering | Rapid rate of speech with breakdown in fluency but no repetitions or hesitations, resulting in diminished speech intelligibility. |
| F98.8 | Other specified behavioural and emotional disorders | Other specified conditions including attention deficit without hyperactivity, excessive masturbation, nail-biting, nose-picking, and thumb-sucking. |
| F98.9 | Unspecified behavioural and emotional disorders with onset in childhood | Unspecified behavioural or emotional disorder with onset in childhood. |
Classification Boundaries
Includes
- Nonorganic enuresis
- Nonorganic encopresis
- Feeding disorder of infancy and childhood
- Pica of infancy and childhood
- Stereotyped movement disorders
- Stuttering
- Cluttering
Excludes1 (coded elsewhere)
- Breath-holding spells (R06.8)
- Nail-biting (F98.8 — included here)
- Tic disorders (F95)
Australian Clinical Context
These conditions are managed by a variety of professionals in Australia including paediatricians, child psychologists, speech pathologists, and continence nurses. Bell-and-pad alarm therapy is the recommended first-line treatment for enuresis in Australian practice.
Medicare (MBS) Pathways
Better Access to Mental Health Care
The primary Medicare pathway for mental health treatment in Australia. Requires a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) referral. Available for any clinically diagnosed mental disorder.
10 individual + 10 group sessions per calendar year
| Provider Type | MBS Items | Session Type |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical Psychologist | 80000–80025 | Psychological therapy (higher rebate) |
| Registered Psychologist | 80100–80123 | Focused psychological strategies |
| Occupational Therapist | 80125–80145 | Focused psychological strategies |
| Social Worker | 80150–80175 | Focused psychological strategies |
| Psychiatrist | 291, 296–299, 300–308 | Psychiatric consultation |
GP referral items: 2700, 2701, 2715, 2717
Eligibility: Any clinically diagnosed mental disorder as defined by WHO ICD-10 Chapter V. Requires a GP or psychiatrist referral.
Exclusions:
- Intellectual disability (use Complex Neurodevelopmental Disorder pathway or specialist referral)
- Dementia and organic mental disorders (use specialist referral pathway)
- Tobacco use disorder
Grounded Scribe suggests the right MBS item codes from your recording so you can claim accurately without re-keying.
Reference information sourced from MBS Online (mbsonline.gov.au). Item availability, rebates, and eligibility criteria may change. This is not billing advice — always verify current items before claiming. Last verified: April 2026.
Clinical Documentation Notes
F98.5 (Stuttering) maps to Childhood-Onset Fluency Disorder in DSM-5-TR. F98.4 (Stereotyped movement disorders) maps to Stereotypic Movement Disorder. Enuresis assessment should exclude organic causes (UTI, diabetes, neurological conditions).
Related Diagnostic Codes
ICD-10-AM diagnostic codes commonly associated with the Other Behavioural and Emotional Disorders with Onset in Childhood (F98).
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age should enuresis be considered a disorder?
Nonorganic enuresis (F98.0) should not be diagnosed before age 5 (or equivalent mental age). Nocturnal enuresis is very common in young children and spontaneous resolution rates are high (approximately 15% per year).
References
- World Health Organization. ICD-10-AM.
- American Psychiatric Association. DSM-5-TR. 2022.
This tool calculates scores based on published guidelines for professional reference. It does not provide clinical diagnoses. Scores are provided as reference information only and should be interpreted by a qualified practitioner in the context of a comprehensive assessment.
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