# Respiratory Distress Dx



## mad_one80 (Jan 22, 2009)

i have a 1 month old baby found to be in acute respiratory distress...should i use the 518.82(specifies for adult) or 770.89(specifies for fetus or newborn) dx code?     thx!!


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## magnolia1 (Jan 22, 2009)

If this baby is over 28 days old, I think you have to go with 518.82


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## Sheri Bernard (Jan 26, 2009)

Remember, the parentheticals are not required elements, which is why the government calls them "nonessential modifiers". Therefore, in the index,

Distress
  respiratory (adult) 518.82

the "(adult)" is an optional element, ie, the patient is not required to be an adult for this code to be correct.

If the patient is more than 28 days old, that would be the code to use.


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## srinivas r sajja (Jan 27, 2009)

when can we use 786.09 then?
Please clarify.


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## FTessaBartels (Jan 27, 2009)

*786.09*

786.09 does *NOT* specify ACUTE respiratory distress.

518.82 specifies ACUTE respiratory distress.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC


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