Febrile Seizures Documentation Guide
Seizures occurring in young children associated with fever, without evidence of intracranial infection or other cause.
ICD-10 Codes: R56.00, R56.01
Common Symptoms
- Seizure with fever
- Loss of consciousness
- Tonic-clonic activity
- Post-ictal drowsiness
- Fever >38C
Key Documentation Elements
- Seizure type (simple vs complex)
- Seizure duration, semiology, and any focality
- Temperature at time of seizure
- Fever source evaluation results
- Parental counseling on recurrence risk and seizure first aid
Documentation Challenges
- Documenting simple vs complex febrile seizure classification
- Recording seizure semiology, duration, and laterality
- Capturing fever source evaluation and workup
- Tracking recurrence risk counseling and action plan education
Billing Considerations
- R56.00 (simple febrile seizure) vs R56.01 (complex febrile seizure)
- LP procedure coding if meningitis workup performed
- E&M complexity for seizure evaluation with fever workup
Frequently Asked Questions
What distinguishes simple from complex febrile seizures?
Simple febrile seizures (R56.00) are generalized, <15 minutes, non-recurring in 24 hours. Complex (R56.01) are focal, prolonged, or recurrent. Scribeable classifies based on your documented seizure characteristics.
How does Scribeable support febrile seizure documentation?
Scribeable captures seizure description, duration, temperature, fever source workup, neurological exam, and parental counseling from your encounter, formatting structured pediatric emergency documentation.