2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R48.8Other symbolic dysfunctions

ICD-10-CM Codes›R00–R99›R47-R49›R48

ICD-10-CM R48.8
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

R48.8 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for other symbolic dysfunctions. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). As a symptom code, it should not be used as a principal diagnosis once a related definitive diagnosis has been established. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Nervous system signs and symptoms.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
R48.8
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Other symbolic dysfunctions
Short Description
Other symbolic dysfunctions
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
R48
Dyslexia and other symbolic dysfunctions, not elsewhere classified

Code Classification

ChapterR00–R99Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
SectionR47-R49Symptoms and signs involving speech and voice
CategoryR48Dyslexia and other symbolic dysfunctions, not elsewhere classified
This CodeR48.8Other symbolic dysfunctions

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Acalculia
  • Agrammatism
  • Agraphia
  • Amusia
  • Aphasia-angular gyrus syndrome
  • Aphasia-left parietal lobe syndrome
  • Dyscalculia
  • Echolalia
  • Instrumental amusia
  • Motor amusia
  • Perseveration
  • Spatial disorientation
  • Symbolic dysfunction
  • Vocal motor amusia

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Inclusion Terms

  • Acalculia
  • Agraphia

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Abolition, language
    • Acalculia
    • Agrammatism
    • Agraphia(absolute)
    • Amimia
    • Amnesia
      • auditory
    • Amusia
    • Anomia
    • Asymbolia
    • Bianchi's syndrome
    • Blindness(acquired) (congenital) (both eyes)
      • mind
    • Blindness(acquired) (congenital) (both eyes)
      • psychic
    • Deafness(acquired) (complete) (hereditary) (partial)
      • mental
    • Disorder(of)
      • learning (specific)
        • acalculia
    • Dyscalculia
    • Dysfunction
      • symbolic
        • specified type NEC
    • Echolalia
    • Gerstmann's syndrome
    • Palilalia
    • Perseveration(tonic)
    • Strephosymbolia
      • secondary to organic lesion

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR SYM010
Nervous system signs and symptoms
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Agraphia

    loss or impairment of the ability to write (letters, syllables, words, or phrases) due to an injury to a specific cerebral area or occasionally due to emotional factors. this condition rarely occurs in isolation, and often accompanies aphasia. (from adams et al., principles of neurology, 6th ed, p485; apa, thesaurus of psychological index terms, 1994)

  • Alexia, Pure

    loss of the power to comprehend written materials despite preservation of the ability to write (i.e., alexia without agraphia). this condition is generally attributed to lesions that disconnect the visual cortex of the non-dominant hemisphere from language centers in the dominant hemisphere. this may occur when a dominant visual cortex injury is combined with underlying white matter lesions that involve crossing fibers from the occipital lobe of the opposite hemisphere. (from adams et al., principles of neurology, 6th ed, p483)

  • Dyscalculia

    impaired ability in numerical concepts. these inabilities arise as a result of primary neurological lesion, are syndromic (e.g., gerstmann syndrome ) or acquired due to brain damage.

  • Echolalia

    involuntary (parrot-like), meaningless repetition of a recently heard word, phrase, or song. this condition may be associated with transcortical aphasia; schizophrenia; or other disorders. (from adams et al., principles of neurology, 6th ed, p485)

  • Gerstmann Syndrome

    a disorder of cognition characterized by the tetrad of finger agnosia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and right-left disorientation. the syndrome may be developmental or acquired. acquired gerstmann syndrome is associated with lesions in the dominant (usually left) parietal lobe which involve the angular gyrus or subjacent white matter. (from adams et al., principles of neurology, 6th ed, p457)

  • Acalculia

    an acquired impairment in the ability to perform simple mathematical tasks.

  • Dyscalculia

    a wide group of related learning disorders characterized by difficulties with mathematics and manipulating numbers; the difficulty with math may be caused or exacerbated by visuo-spatial or language processing difficulties.

  • Echolalia

    a symptom of neurologic or psychiatric dysfunction in which the individual involuntarily and meaninglessly repeats a recently heard word, series of words, or a song.

Patient EducationClinical

Mental Disorders

Mental disorders (or mental illnesses) are conditions that affect your thinking, feeling, mood, and behavior. They may happen over a short period of time or come and go. Some can be chronic (long-lasting). They can affect your ability to relate to others and function each day..

The full article covers:

  • What are mental disorders?
  • What are some types of mental disorders?
  • What causes mental disorders?
  • Who is at risk for mental disorders?
  • How are mental disorders diagnosed?
  • What are the treatments for mental disorders?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert R48.8 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
784.69 Symbolic dysfunction NEC
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About R48.8Overview

Is R48.8 a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report other symbolic dysfunctions on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Can R48.8 be a principal diagnosis?

Use it with care. This is a symptom code, so once a definitive diagnosis explaining the other symbolic dysfunctions is established, that condition takes the principal position instead.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of R48.8?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, other symbolic dysfunctions converts to ICD-9-CM 784.69 (symbolic dysfunction NEC). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.