童 脉全，浮沉为先，浮表沉里，便知其源。大小滑涩，虚实迟 ，各根据大人，以审证治。
小儿一岁六岁曰婴孩，察三关脉。七岁八岁曰龀，九岁十岁曰髫，始可一指探三部脉，而以一息七八至
为无病。十一十四岁曰童 ，而以一息五六至为常。浮数乳痫惊悸，虚濡慢惊螈 ，紧实者风痫，沉弦者食积，
伏结者伤食，软细者虫疳。浮沉迟数，与大人一同。仍忌促结代散，详五卷小儿。
痈疽脉数，浮阳沉阴，浮数不热，但恶寒侵，若知痛处，急灸或针。洪数病进，将有脓淫，滑实紧促，
内消可禁。宜托里者，脉虚濡迟，或芤涩微，溃后亦宜。长缓易治，短散则危，结促代见，必死无疑。
脉浮数带弦，当发热而反恶寒，或胸烦不知痛处，或知痛处，皆发痈疮，急宜灸或针。浮数发热而痛者，
属阳易治；不数沉微不痛者，属阴难治。又浮为在表，沉为在里，不浮不沉则为在经。诸疮洪数者，里亦有脓
结也。未溃脉滑实数促者，可以下之；将溃已溃，脉虚濡弱迟涩芤微者，宜补益托里。长缓易治者，胃气盛也；
短散结代者，元气虚也。大抵未溃宜见诸阳脉，已溃宜见诸阴脉，庶病症相宜。抑论紧则气血滞涩，故紧多则
痛。芤主亡血，溃后得之则吉。促脉未溃为热蓄里，已溃则气衰也。
儿童脉象以脉气充盈完整为特征，诊察时以浮脉和沉脉为先导，浮脉主表证，沉脉主里证，据此即可知晓病邪的来源。至于脉象的大小、滑涩、虚实、迟数等变化，则参照成年人的标准，以此来审察证候并制定治疗方案。
小儿一至六岁称为婴孩，需观察食指三关的指纹脉象。七至八岁称为龀（换牙期），九至十岁称为髫（垂发期），此时才开始可以用一根手指探取寸、关、尺三部脉象，且以呼吸一息脉搏跳动七八次为无病之常脉。十一至十四岁称为童，以呼吸一息脉搏跳动五六次为正常。若脉象浮而数，多见于乳食积滞引起的惊痫或心悸；脉象虚软濡缓，多见于慢惊风及抽搐；脉象紧实，多为风痫；脉象沉弦，多为饮食积滞；脉象伏结，多为伤食所致；脉象软细，多为虫疳。总体而言，浮沉迟数的判断原则与成人相同。但仍需忌讳出现促脉、结脉、代脉、散脉，详细情况请参阅第五卷关于小儿的内容。
痈疽（体表化脓性感染）脉象若为数脉，浮脉属阳，沉脉属阴。若脉浮数但身体不发热，反而感到恶寒侵袭，若已知疼痛部位，应立即施灸或针刺。若脉象洪大且数，说明病情进展，即将化脓流溢；若脉象滑、实、紧、促，说明邪气在里，可通过内服药物消散。适宜使用托里法治疗者，其脉象多表现为虚、濡、迟，或芤、涩、微，即使溃破后也宜用此法。脉象长而缓者易治，脉象短而散者则危险，若出现结脉、促脉、代脉，必然死亡无疑。
若脉象浮数兼带弦象，患者应当发热却反而恶寒，或者心中烦闷不知疼痛具体部位，又或者知道疼痛部位，这些都是痈疮发作的表现，应立即施灸或针刺。若脉浮数、发热且疼痛，属于阳证，容易治疗；若不数、沉微且不痛，属于阴证，难以治疗。此外，浮脉表示病在表，沉脉表示病在里，不浮不沉则表示病在经络。各种疮疡若见洪数脉，说明体内已有脓液结聚。尚未溃破时，若脉象滑、实、数、促，可以使用泻下法；即将溃破或已经溃破时，若脉象虚、濡、弱、迟、涩、芤、微，适宜采用补益气血、托毒外出的方法。脉象长而缓者易治，是因为胃气旺盛；脉象短、散、结、代者难治，是因为元气虚弱。大致而言，未溃破时适宜见到各类阳脉，已溃破时适宜见到各类阴脉，这样病症与脉象才相适宜。另外论述：紧脉意味着气血运行滞涩，所以紧脉多见则疼痛剧烈。芤脉主失血，溃破后出现芤脉则是吉兆。促脉在未溃破时代表热邪蓄积于里，在已溃破后则代表正气衰败。
The pulse of children is characterized by a full and complete quality, with floating (superficial) and sunken (deep) pulses taking precedence; the former indicates exterior conditions, while the latter indicates interior conditions, allowing one to ascertain the source of the pathogen. Regarding variations in pulse size, slippery/rough, deficiency/excess, and slow/rapid qualities, one should refer to the standards for adults to examine the syndrome and determine treatment.
Children aged one to six are called "yinghai" (infants), and their condition is assessed by observing the three sections of the finger vein. Those aged seven to eight are called "chen" (children losing baby teeth), and those aged nine to ten are called "tiao" (children with hanging hair); only at this age can one use a single finger to palpate the Cun, Guan, and Chi positions of the radial artery. A normal healthy state is indicated by 7-8 beats per respiratory cycle. For children aged eleven to fourteen, referred to as "tong," a rate of 5-6 beats per respiratory cycle is considered normal. A floating and rapid pulse often indicates infantile epilepsy or palpitations caused by milk retention; a deficient, soft, and slow pulse suggests slow convulsions and spasms; a tight and solid pulse indicates wind-induced epilepsy; a deep and wiry pulse points to food stagnation; a hidden and knotted pulse signifies damage from food; and a soft and thin pulse indicates parasitic malnutrition. Generally, the principles for judging floating, sunken, slow, and rapid pulses are the same as those for adults. However, one must beware of the Cu (hasty), Jie (intermittent), Dai (moderate), and San (scattered) pulses; details can be found in Volume 5 regarding pediatrics.
For carbuncles and sores (external suppurative infections), a rapid pulse indicates progression. Floating pulses belong to Yang, and sunken pulses belong to Yin. If the pulse is floating and rapid but the patient does not feel feverish, instead experiencing an invasion of aversion to cold, and if the painful area is known, moxibustion or acupuncture should be applied immediately. If the pulse is surging and rapid, the disease is advancing, and pus is likely to form and discharge. If the pulse is slippery, solid, tight, or hasty, internal resolution may be possible through medication. For cases suitable for the "supporting the interior" method, the pulse is typically deficient, soft, slow, or empty, rough, or minute; this approach is also appropriate after ulceration. A long and slow pulse indicates ease of treatment, whereas a short and scattered pulse indicates danger. The appearance of Jie, Cu, or Dai pulses implies certain death.
If the pulse is floating, rapid, and slightly wiry, the patient should experience fever but instead feels aversion to cold, or experiences chest irritability without knowing the specific pain location, or knows the pain location; these are all signs of developing carbuncles or sores, requiring immediate moxibustion or acupuncture. If the pulse is floating and rapid, accompanied by fever and pain, it belongs to the Yang category and is easy to treat. If the pulse is not rapid, is sunken and minute, and there is no pain, it belongs to the Yin category and is difficult to treat. Furthermore, a floating pulse indicates the pathogen is in the exterior, a sunken pulse indicates it is in the interior, and neither floating nor sunken indicates it is in the meridians. For various sores, a surging and rapid pulse indicates that pus has formed internally. If the sore has not yet ulcerated and the pulse is slippery, solid, rapid, or hasty, purgative methods may be used. If the sore is about to ulcerate or has already ulcerated, and the pulse is deficient, soft, weak, slow, rough, empty, or minute, tonifying and supporting the interior methods are appropriate. A long and slow pulse indicates ease of treatment due to strong Stomach Qi; a short, scattered, knotted, or moderate pulse indicates danger due to deficient Yuan Qi (Original Qi). Generally, before ulceration, Yang-type pulses are expected; after ulceration, Yin-type pulses are expected, ensuring harmony between symptoms and pulse. Additionally, a tight pulse indicates stagnation and obstruction of Qi and Blood, hence tightness correlates with severe pain. An empty (Kou) pulse indicates blood loss; its appearance after ulceration is auspicious. A hasty (Cu) pulse before ulceration indicates heat accumulation in the interior, while after ulceration, it indicates decline of Qi.