2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R62.51Failure to thrive (child)

ICD-10-CM Codes›R00–R99›R50-R69›R62

ICD-10-CM R62.51
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

R62.51 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for failure to thrive (child). It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 640 through 641. The code is restricted by the Medicare Code Editor to pediatric patients (age 0 through 17). 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 Other general signs and symptoms.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
R62.51
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Failure to thrive (child)
Short Description
Failure to thrive (child)
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
R62.5
Other and unspecified lack of expected normal physiological development in childhood

Code Classification

ChapterR00–R99Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
SectionR50-R69General symptoms and signs
CategoryR62Lack of expected normal physiological development in childhood and adults
This CodeR62.51Failure to thrive (child)

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for R62.51.

Pediatric diagnoses
The Medicare Code Editor detects inconsistencies in pediatric cases by checking a patient's age and any diagnosis on the patient's record. The pediatric code edits apply to patients age range is 0–17 years inclusive (e.g., Reye's syndrome, routine child health exam).

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Childhood failure to gain weight
  • Failure to gain weight
  • Failure to thrive
  • Failure to thrive in infant
  • Failure to thrive in infant with AIDS
  • Organic failure to thrive
  • Pediatric failure to thrive
  • Renal function impairment with growth failure
  • Severe feeding difficulties, failure to thrive, microcephaly due to ASXL3 deficiency syndrome
  • Slow weight gain
  • Weight increased

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to R62.51: its own notes plus those printed at R62.5, R62, and Chapter 18. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Applicable To

Conditions this code is used for: synonyms of the title or, for "other specified" codes, the conditions assigned to it. The list is not exhaustive.

  • Failure to gain weight
  • Faltering growth

Excludes1

Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

On R62.51 itself
  • failure to thrive in child under 28 days old (P92.6)
From R62.5 Other and unspecified lack of expected normal physiological development in childhood applies to 4 codes
  • HIV disease resulting in failure to thrive (B20)
  • physical retardation due to malnutrition (E45)
From R62 Lack of expected normal physiological development in childhood and adults applies to 6 codes

Excludes2

Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.

From Chapter 18 (R00-R99) Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified applies to 774 codes
  • abnormal findings on antenatal screening of mother (O28.-)
  • certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
  • signs and symptoms classified in the body system chapters
  • signs and symptoms of breast (N63, N64.5)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Chapter 18 (R00-R99) Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified applies to 774 codes
  • This chapter includes symptoms, signs, abnormal results of clinical or other investigative procedures, and ill-defined conditions regarding which no diagnosis classifiable elsewhere is recorded.
  • Signs and symptoms that point rather definitely to a given diagnosis have been assigned to a category in other chapters of the classification. In general, categories in this chapter include the less well-defined conditions and symptoms that, without the necessary study of the case to establish a final diagnosis, point perhaps equally to two or more diseases or to two or more systems of the body. Practically all categories in the chapter could be designated 'not otherwise specified', 'unknown etiology' or 'transient'. The Alphabetical Index should be consulted to determine which symptoms and signs are to be allocated here and which to other chapters. The residual subcategories, numbered .8, are generally provided for other relevant symptoms that cannot be allocated elsewhere in the classification.
  • The conditions and signs or symptoms included in categories R00-R94 consist of:
  • (a) cases for which no more specific diagnosis can be made even after all the facts bearing on the case have been investigated;
  • (b) signs or symptoms existing at the time of initial encounter that proved to be transient and whose causes could not be determined;
  • (c) provisional diagnosis in a patient who failed to return for further investigation or care;
  • (d) cases referred elsewhere for investigation or treatment before the diagnosis was made;
  • (e) cases in which a more precise diagnosis was not available for any other reason;
  • (f) certain symptoms, for which supplementary information is provided, that represent important problems in medical care in their own right.

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

Referenced in Other NotesGuidance

Instructional notes printed at other codes that name R62.51, its category, or a range that includes it.

Excludes1 1

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming R62.51: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • P92.6 Failure to thrive in newborn
    failure to thrive in child over 28 days old (R62.51)

Excludes2 2

These codes carry an Excludes2 note naming R62.51: its condition is not part of those codes, and both may be reported when the patient has both.

  • E63 Other nutritional deficiencies
    failure to thrive, child (R62.51)
  • E88.A Wasting disease (syndrome) due to underlying condition
    failure to thrive (R62.51, R62.7)

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR SYM016
Other general signs and symptoms
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Failure to Thrive

    a condition of substandard growth or diminished capacity to maintain normal function.

Patient EducationClinical

Growth Disorders

Does your child seem much shorter - or much taller - than other kids his or her age? It could be normal. Some children may be small for their age but still be developing normally. Some children are short or tall because their parents are.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert R62.51 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
783.41 Failure to thrive-child
Exact Match The mapping is direct, with no qualifiers.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About R62.51Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for failure to thrive (child)?

The ICD-10-CM code for failure to thrive (child) is R62.51 (sometimes written as R6251). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is R62.51 a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report failure to thrive (child) on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does R62.51 group to?

When failure to thrive (child) is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 641, 640, with relative weights from 0.7864 to 1.3392 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Can R62.51 be a principal diagnosis?

Use it with care. This is a symptom code, so once a definitive diagnosis explaining the failure to thrive (child) is established, that condition takes the principal position instead.

Who can R62.51 be reported for?

The Medicare Code Editor checks failure to thrive (child) against patient demographics: this code is intended for pediatric patients (age 0 through 17). Claims outside these limits are flagged as inconsistent.