惊痫发搐。多因乳母郁怒传儿。胎中受患。或生后乳伤惊恐致病。证多吐乳面青。若痰实壅
积。则壮热面红。当兼调治其母。切不可损其元气。验其顺逆。男则握拳。拇指叉入食指中为顺。
于外为逆。女则叉入食指为逆。于外为顺。凡小儿忽然惊搐目直者。皆肝经风热。若肝虚生风。
则目连札而不搐。及多呵欠切牙。若肝经风实。则目直大叫。呵欠项急顿闷。若肝经有热。则目
直视不搐。得心热则搐。其证手循衣领。及乱捻物。宜泻肝热为主。凡病之新久。皆能引
动肝风。风内动则上入于目。故目为之连札。若热入于目。牵其筋脉。两 俱紧。不能转视。故
目直也。亦有饮食停滞中焦。致清阳不升。浊阴不降。肝木生发之气不得升。致生虚风者。若胸
满腹痛。呕吐恶食。轻则消导化痰。重则探吐攻积。更须审其所伤寒物热物。亦有因感冒吐泻。
致土败水侮而生虚风者。不可遽服惊药。若辄用之。反成其风而益其病矣。洁古云。伤风发搐。
当辨有汗无汗。用大青膏、小续命分治。薛按前证。若口中气热。搐而有力。属形病俱实。宜大
青膏以散风邪。若口气不热。搐而无力。属形病俱虚。宜异功散以补脾土。六味丸以滋肝木。钩
藤饮以清肝火。因风邪郁热而变诸证。当理肺经。清风邪。若外邪既解。而诸证不愈者。当实脾
土补肺金。若竟治其风。恐脾气复伤。诸证蜂起矣。若伤食后发搐。身温多睡。或吐不思食。宜
先定搐。搐止白饼子下之。后与秘旨安神丸。若饮食停滞。呕吐不食。腹胀便秘者。属实热。白
饼子下之。若下后搐热益甚。呕吐不食者。属虚热。异功散补之。若脾胃既伤。肝火所胜。六君
子加钩藤钩。以健脾气。平肝木。大凡饮食既消而不愈者。但调补脾胃。则诸邪自退。百日内发
搐。真者不过两三次必死。假者频发不死。真者内生惊痫。假者外伤风冷。血气未实。不能胜任。
故发搐也。口中气热。大青膏及涂囟法。并用大青膏加白矾。取三钱。入桃枝一握。煎水浴之。
勿浴儿背。此即浴体法也。前证多因胎中受患。或乳母郁怒传儿。或儿脾伤自病。当固元气为主。
凡搐频者。风在表易治。宜发散。搐稀者风在脏。难治。宜补脾。
Convulsions in infantile convulsive epilepsy (Jing Xian) are often caused by the transmission of the wet nurse's depression and anger to the child, or by pathological changes acquired during fetal development. It may also result from improper breastfeeding or fright after birth. The symptoms commonly include vomiting milk and a bluish complexion. If phlegm and excess pathogens accumulate, high fever and facial redness occur. In such cases, the mother's condition should be treated concurrently, and the child's primordial Qi (Yuan Qi) must never be damaged. To determine the prognosis (Shun/Ni), observe the hand posture: for males, if the thumb is tucked into the index finger, it is a favorable sign (Shun); if extended outward, it is an unfavorable sign (Ni). For females, if the thumb is tucked into the index finger, it is an unfavorable sign (Ni); if extended outward, it is a favorable sign (Shun).
Whenever an infant suddenly experiences convulsions with eyes staring straight ahead, it indicates wind-heat in the Liver channel (Gan Jing). If wind arises due to Liver deficiency, the eyes tremble without convulsions, accompanied by frequent yawning and teeth grinding. If there is excess wind in the Liver channel, the eyes stare straight, the child cries loudly, yawns, has a stiff neck, and sudden chest oppression. If there is heat in the Liver channel, the eyes stare straight without convulsions; however, if Heart heat is involved, convulsions will occur. Symptoms include grasping at clothing collars and aimlessly picking at objects. Treatment should primarily focus on draining Liver heat.
Both new and chronic diseases can stir up internal Liver wind. When wind moves internally, it ascends to the eyes, causing them to tremble. If heat enters the eyes and pulls on the sinews, causing stiffness and inability to rotate the eyes, they stare straight. Another cause is food stagnation in the Middle Jiao (Zhong Jiao), which prevents Clear Yang from ascending and Turbid Yin from descending. This blocks the rising energy of Liver Wood, generating deficient wind. Symptoms include chest fullness, abdominal pain, vomiting, and aversion to food. Mild cases are treated with digestion-promoting and phlegm-resolving methods; severe cases require induced vomiting and purging. One must carefully distinguish whether the ingested food was cold or hot in nature. Additionally, vomiting and diarrhea caused by external contraction can lead to Spleen Earth failure and Kidney Water counter-acting (Water insulting Earth), generating deficient wind. Do not hastily administer anti-convulsant medicines; doing so may exacerbate the wind and worsen the disease.
Zhang Jiegu stated that convulsions caused by wind-cold invasion should be differentiated by the presence or absence of sweating, treating respectively with Da Qing Gao (Great Blue Paste) or Xiao Xu Ming Tang (Minor Continuation of Life Decoction). Xue Ji noted: regarding the aforementioned conditions, if the breath from the mouth is hot and convulsions are forceful, it indicates both form and pathogen are excess (Shi). Use Da Qing Gao to disperse wind pathogens. If the breath is not hot and convulsions are weak, it indicates both form and pathogen are deficient (Xu). Use Yi Gong San (Yi Gong Powder) to tonify Spleen Earth, Liu Wei Wan (Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia) to nourish Liver Wood, and Gou Teng Yin (Uncaria Decoction) to clear Liver fire. If various syndromes arise from wind-pathogen郁热 (depressed heat), regulate the Lung channel and clear wind pathogens. If external pathogens are resolved but symptoms persist, strengthen Spleen Earth and tonify Lung Metal. Treating only the wind may further damage Spleen Qi, causing myriad symptoms to arise.
If convulsions occur after food injury, with warm body temperature, excessive sleepiness, vomiting, or anorexia, first stop the convulsions. After cessation, use Bai Bing Zi (White Pill Cake) to purge, followed by Mi Zhi An Shen Wan (Secret Instruction Calming Spirit Pill). If food stagnation causes vomiting, anorexia, abdominal distension, and constipation, it is an excess-heat syndrome; treat with Bai Bing Zi to purge. If convulsions and heat worsen after purging, along with vomiting and anorexia, it is a deficient-heat syndrome; treat with Yi Gong San to tonify. If Spleen and Stomach are damaged and Liver fire prevails, use Liu Jun Zi Tang (Six Gentlemen Decoction) plus Gou Teng (Uncaria Ramulus cum Uncis) to strengthen Spleen Qi and soothe Liver Wood. Generally, if symptoms persist after food digestion, simply tonifying and regulating the Spleen and Stomach will cause other pathogens to recede spontaneously.
For infants under 100 days old, true convulsions (internal origin) usually result in death within two or three episodes, whereas false convulsions (external origin) recur frequently but are not fatal. True convulsions stem from internal Jing Xian; false ones stem from external wind-cold invasion. Because blood and Qi are not yet robust, the body cannot withstand the pathogenic factors, leading to convulsions. If the breath from the mouth is hot, apply Da Qing Gao and the fontanelle application method simultaneously. Specifically, mix Da Qing Gao with 3 qian of Bai Fan (Alum), add a handful of Tao Zhi (Peach Twig), decoct in water, and bathe the infant. Do not bathe the back; this is the "body bathing method."
The aforementioned conditions are mostly due to fetal pathology, transmission of the wet nurse's anger, or Spleen injury in the infant. The primary treatment should be to consolidate Yuan Qi. Frequent convulsions indicate wind in the exterior, which is easy to treat with dispersing methods. Infrequent convulsions indicate wind in the zang organs, which is difficult to treat and requires tonifying the Spleen.