F72.1 ICD-10-CA code: Severe mental retardation, significant impairment of behaviour requiring attention or treatment
F72.1 is the ICD-10-CA code for “Severe mental retardation, significant impairment of behaviour requiring attention or treatment” in CIHI’s FY 2026–2027 release, in effect from Apr 1, 2026.
Official description
F72.1Severe mental retardation, significant impairment of behaviour requiring attention or treatment
Short description: Severe mental retard signif impair beh
ICD-10-CA · Canada · Also written F721
Notes for F72.1
As CIHI prints them, with any note F72.1 takes from the headings above it.
Includes
- Severe mental subnormalityFrom F72 Severe mental retardation
- Disorders of psychological developmentFrom Chapter 5: Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99)
Use additional code
Add a code for this detail when the note documents it.
- Use additional code, to identify associated conditions such as autism, other developmental disorders, epilepsy, conduct disorders, or severe physical handicap.From F70-F79 Mental retardation
Excludes
Conditions classified elsewhere.
- Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R99)From Chapter 5: Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99)
Note
- Approximate IQ range of 20 to 34 (in adults, mental age from 3 to under 6 years). Likely to result in continuous need of support.From F72 Severe mental retardation
- A condition of arrested or incomplete development of the mind, which is especially characterized by impairment of skills manifested during the developmental period, skills which contribute to the overall level of intelligence, i.e. cognitive, language, motor, and social abilities. Retardation can occur with or without any other mental or physical condition.Degrees of mental retardation are conventionally estimated by standardized intelligence tests. These can be supplemented by scales assessing social adaptation in a given environment. These measures provide an approximate indication of the degree of mental retardation. The diagnosis will also depend on the overall assessment of intellectual functioning by a skilled diagnostician.Intellectual abilities and social adaptation may change over time, and, however poor, may improve as a result of training and rehabilitation. Diagnosis should be based on the current levels of functioning.From F70-F79 Mental retardation
Where F72.1 sits
- 1ChapterChapter 5: Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99)
- 2Block F70-F79Mental retardation
- 3Category F72Severe mental retardation
- 4Valid code F72.1Severe mental retardation, significant impairment of behaviour requiring attention or treatment
Source and release
- Data release
- ICD-10-CA · FY 2026–2027
- Effective date
- Apr 1, 2026
- Publisher
- CIHI
This page is built from the ICD-10-CA catalog that Vero Codes reads when it suggests codes: Canadian Institute for Health Information’s FY 2026–2027 release, imported from the publisher’s file and checked against it. The description, notes and structured data come from the same record.
Frequently asked questions
What does ICD-10-CA code F72.1 mean?
F72.1 is the ICD-10-CA code for “Severe mental retardation, significant impairment of behaviour requiring attention or treatment” in CIHI’s ICD-10-CA FY 2026–2027 release.
Where is F72.1 in ICD-10-CA?
F72.1 sits under F72 Severe mental retardation, within F70-F79 Mental retardation, within Chapter 5: Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99).
What coding notes apply to F72.1?
ICD-10-CA lists Note, Includes, Use additional code, Excludes notes for F72.1, including those from the headings it sits under. They are listed on this page with where each one comes from.
Which ICD-10-CA release does this page use?
It uses CIHI’s FY 2026–2027 release, in effect from Apr 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027. It is a reference: confirm the code against the current list and the payer’s rules before you submit it.