Pediatric Coding Alert

Question: A patient suffered a second-degree burn on his forearm due to his angry father pouring coffee on the child. Should I first list the cause or the abuse E code?

Missouri Subscriber

Answer: You should sequence the external cause E code before the abuse E code. The first E code should always represent the most serious diagnosis due to the external cause. Then, E codes for adult and child abuse take priority. Report the following injury codes:

• 943.21 (Burns of upper limb, except wrist and hand; blisters, epidermal loss [second degree]; forearm) for the second-degree burn

• 995.54 (Child maltreatment syndrome; child physical abuse) for the child physical abuse.

Add E codes to identify the nature of the abuse and the perpetrator:

• E968.3 (Assault by other and unspecified means; hot liquid) to indicate the burn's external cause

• E967.0 (Perpetrator of child and adult abuse; by father, stepfather, or boyfriend) for the abuse.