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If the disease is severe but the decoction is weak, the pathogenic qi will only be slightly subdued while the medicinal power is exhausted; can one expect to cease treatment at this point? This is like trying to extinguish a cartload of burning firewood with a cup of water—it ultimately fails to go out. This is termed "insufficiency" (under-treatment). If the syndrome is mild but the decoction is strong, the pathogenic qi may be completely eliminated, yet the medicinal power remains excessive; can one avoid damaging the healthy qi? This is like the intense fire on Mount Kunlun, where both jade and stone are burned together. This is termed "excess" (over-treatment). Among these three discussions, only the middle way is correct. Both excess and insufficiency constitute deviations, yet excess is particularly more severe than insufficiency. For instance, failing due to indulgence (using medication too lightly), where pathogenic qi again overcomes healthy qi, results in labor without benefit, but one can still strive for moderation. However, if failing due to harshness and violence (using medication too heavily), healthy qi is damaged, leading to emaciation or even critical danger, this is what is meant by being particularly severe. How can one not be vigilant! I have examined Zhang Zhongjing's writings: under the section on Chengqi Decoction, he states, "If the patient has a bowel movement, stop taking the remaining medicine." Under the formula for Guizhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction), he says, "A slight sweat is desirable; do not let it sweat profusely as if pouring water." The purport is profound!

For children, the pulse should be palpated at the Cun, Guan, and Chi positions using the thumb. A rate of six to seven beats per respiration cycle indicates a normal, peaceful state; ten beats indicate fever; five beats indicate internal cold; a tight pulse indicates wind epilepsy; a deep and slow pulse indicates food injury; a rapid and urgent pulse indicates deficiency fright; a wiry and urgent pulse indicates disharmony of qi; a deep and thin pulse indicates cold; a floating pulse indicates wind; an irregular pulse with varying amplitude indicates an ominous prognosis or supernatural influence; a floating, large, and rapid pulse indicates wind or heat; a hidden and knotted pulse indicates accumulation of masses; a single and thin pulse indicates gan-lao (chronic malnutrition syndrome). Whenever there is abdominal pain, wheezing, vomiting, and a floating pulse, it indicates the presence of parasites; if the pulse is floating and slow with tidal fever, it indicates stomach cold, which will heal with warming therapy.
The rhyme states: A tight pulse in children signals wind epilepsy; a deep and slow pulse often involves food injury with much vomiting; a wiry and urgent pulse reveals qi disharmony; a rapid and urgent pulse denotes deficiency fright with unsettled spirit; cold presents with a deep and thin pulse, wind with a floating pulse; a firm and solid pulse indicates constipation from long retention; the sign of abdominal pain is a tight and wiry pulse; a chaotic and unstable pulse is difficult to save? During the period of bian-zheng (physiological growth changes), the pulse must change; without treatment, there will naturally be no error. A single and thin pulse indicates gan-lao, a surging pulse indicates parasites; unequal pulse size is an ominous sign; a floating and slow pulse with tidal fever implies internal cold seeking internal pathogens. Diarrhea with a floating and large pulse is incurable; careful deliberation and thorough investigation are appropriate.
For young children whose pulses cannot yet be distinguished, folk doctors often observe the color of the veins at the tiger's mouth (the radial side of the thenar eminence) and verify them with the temperature of the four limbs, which also has its merits.
The rhyme states: Purple indicates wind, red indicates shanghan (cold damage), green indicates fright, white indicates gan, black indicates zhong-e (sudden evil invasion), yellow indicates spleen distress. A cold nose definitely indicates chuang-zhen (pox/rash); cold ears indicate wind-heat syndrome; heat throughout the body indicates shanghan; upper heat and lower cold indicate food injury. If people use these colors and pulses as corroborative evidence, they will achieve more than half the correct diagnosis!
Children's diseases are mostly due to food stagnation, phlegm-heat, or breast milk injury, predominantly involving the liver and spleen. It is also said that children often suffer from liver diseases, just as adults do. The liver is usually in a state of excess, while the kidney is often deficient.