小儿之病，百倍难于方脉。其疾病 痒，不能自言，旁人又不能代言，全恃医之意揣之，揣之不合，杀人
易如反掌。即揣得当，而小儿纯阳之体，易虚易实，药一过分，变幻百端。此非顶聪明，好学深思，心知其意者，未可
胜任也。至于护惜之深，姑息之至，则饱暖失宜，果物恣食，畏若废药，或求速杂投，则又非医家之咎矣。然揣之之法，
不过辨其表里虚实寒热。其法与方脉无异，其症亦与方脉同，方脉中之病，小儿亦无不有也。故不能幼科者，或能治
方脉，不能方脉者，必不能治幼科。
初生三朝，即用三黄汤解其胎毒。服三四日后，每日投金银花汤至弥月而止，可保其痘稀而少疮疹之患。能
遇寒冬之月，或小儿体寒质薄，而专用金银花汤亦可。弥月间，声直发搐，撮口脐风，是胎风也，俗名腹里惊。
因其母，肝气素郁，儿禀受之，再浴时断脐时，或有进风，得外风，则内风动。此症发之太早，泣不出声，泣而
无泪者，皆难治。治法痰盛者，先治痰，先清火，或用益黄散治之。视其牙龈有泡，急以棉裹指擦破之，用青黛冰
片略涂口内为妙。至三岁以前，形质微弱，无脉可凭，但察其脉之强弱缓急而已。复更察其食指，寅卯辰三关，
男左女右。食指近手，第一节为寅关，次节为卯关，上节为辰关。凡儿有病，必有脉纹外见。如现纹在寅关，不
过卯关者易治，过卯关者难治，过辰关者更难治。若一条纹从寅关直透辰者，必死。其纹青色为风，紫为泻利，
青紫为肝木乘脾，红则为热。合之唇舌面色，亦可得其大概也。三岁后，六七至为平脉，四五至为寒，九十至为
困脉，弦急为气不和，沉缓为伤食，促急为虚惊，浮为风，沉细为寒，脉乱者不治。
小儿的疾病，比成人（方脉）难诊治百倍。因为患儿年幼患病时感到瘙痒疼痛，却无法用言语表达，旁人又无法代为诉说，完全依赖医生的心思去推测判断。如果推测不当，害人性命易如反掌。即使推测得当，由于小儿属于“纯阳”体质，病情容易由虚转实或由实转虚，药物如果使用过量或不当，病情变化多端。因此，如果不是极其聪明、好学深思且能心领神会医理的人，是不能胜任这一工作的。至于家长对患儿过分怜惜、姑息纵容，导致喂养过饱或冷暖失调，随意食用瓜果零食，或者因畏惧而废弃药物治疗，又或者为了求快而乱投药物，这些就不是医生的过错而是家属的责任了。然而，诊断小儿疾病的方法，不过是辨别表里、虚实、寒热罢了。其方法与成人诊脉无异，症状也与成人相同，成人所患的疾病，小儿也无不具备。所以，不懂儿科的人，或许能治成人病；但不懂成人病的人，必定不能治儿科病。
新生儿出生三天后，即使用三黄汤来解除胎毒。服用三四天后，每天给予金银花汤饮用，直到满月为止，这样可以保证出痘稀少并减少疮疹的隐患。如果遇到寒冷的月份，或者小儿体质寒冷薄弱，也可以专门使用金银花汤。在满月期间，如果婴儿声音直叫、抽搐，出现撮口（口唇紧缩）、脐风等症状，这是胎风，俗称腹里惊。这是因为母亲肝气素来郁结，胎儿禀受母体之气所致，再加上洗澡断脐时，外风侵入，引动内风。此症发作太早，哭不出声，哭而无泪的，都难以治疗。治疗方法上，痰盛者，先治痰，先清火，或者用益黄散治疗。观察牙龈如果有泡，急忙用棉布包裹手指擦破，用青黛和冰片稍微涂抹口腔内部为妙。在三岁以前，小儿形体气质微弱，没有明显的脉象可凭依，只需观察脉搏的强弱缓急即可。还要进一步观察食指，即寅、卯、辰三关，男看左手，女看右手。食指靠近手掌的第一节为寅关，中间一节为卯关，最上一节为辰关。凡是小儿有病，必然有指纹显现。如果指纹只现于寅关，不超过卯关的，容易治疗；超过卯关的，难治；超过辰关的，更难治。如果一条指纹从寅关直通到辰关，必死无疑。指纹青色主风证，紫色主泻利，青紫相间主肝木乘脾（肝气克制脾胃），红色主热证。结合嘴唇、舌头和面色，也可以大概了解病情。三岁以后，脉搏一呼一吸跳动四五至为平脉（正常脉象），六七至为寒证，九十至为困脉（危重脉象），弦急为气机不和，沉缓为伤食，促急为虚惊，浮脉为风邪，沉细为寒证，脉象紊乱者不治。
The diseases of infants and children are a hundred times more difficult to diagnose than those of adults. Because they suffer from itching and pain but cannot speak for themselves, and others cannot speak on their behalf, the diagnosis relies entirely on the physician's deduction. If the deduction is incorrect, causing death is as easy as turning over one's hand. Even if the deduction is correct, given that infants possess a "Pure Yang" constitution (a physiological state characterized by vigorous growth and metabolic activity), their conditions easily shift from deficiency to excess or vice versa. If medication is administered excessively or inappropriately, the condition may change in myriad ways. Therefore, only those who are exceptionally intelligent, diligent in learning, deep in thought, and capable of intuitively grasping the underlying principles can胜任 (be competent) for this task. As for parents' excessive cherishing and indulgence, leading to improper feeding and warmth, unrestricted consumption of fruits, abandoning treatment due to fear of medicine, or seeking quick fixes by indiscriminate medication, these are not the faults of the physician. However, the method of deduction involves nothing more than distinguishing between exterior and interior, deficiency and excess, cold and heat. The methods are no different from adult pulse diagnosis, and the symptoms are also the same; diseases found in adults are equally present in children. Thus, one who does not understand pediatrics might be able to treat adult diseases, but one who cannot treat adult diseases certainly cannot treat pediatric diseases.
On the third day after birth, Sanhuang Tang (Three Yellows Decoction) should be used to resolve fetal toxins. After taking it for three to four days, Jinyinhua Tang (Honeysuckle Decoction) should be administered daily until the end of the first month (full moon). This can ensure fewer smallpox lesions and reduce the risk of sores and rashes. If born in winter months, or if the infant has a cold constitution and thin physique, using Jinyinhua Tang exclusively is also acceptable. During the first month, if the infant cries with a straight voice, experiences convulsions, shows signs of mouth puckering (Cuokou) or umbilical wind (Qifeng), this is Fetal Wind (Taifeng), commonly known as Abdominal Startle (Fulijing). This occurs because the mother's Liver Qi was previously stagnant, which the fetus inherited, combined with external wind entering during bathing or umbilical cord cutting, thereby stirring internal wind. If this condition manifests too early, with the infant unable to cry out or crying without tears, it is difficult to treat. For cases with abundant phlegm, treat the phlegm first, clear fire first, or use Yihuang San (Benefit the Spleen Powder). Observe if there are blisters on the gums; if so, urgently wipe them open with a finger wrapped in cotton, and apply a little Qingdai (Indigo Naturalis) and Bingpian (Borneol) inside the mouth, which is excellent. Before the age of three, the infant's physical structure is weak, and there is no reliable pulse to depend on; one should merely observe the strength, weakness, slowness, or rapidity of the pulse. Furthermore, observe the index finger, specifically the Yin, Mao, and Chen gates (three sections of the finger vein). For boys, check the left hand; for girls, the right hand. The section closest to the palm is the Yin Gate, the middle section is the Mao Gate, and the upper section is the Chen Gate. Whenever a child is ill, a vein pattern will inevitably appear. If the vein appears only at the Yin Gate and does not exceed the Mao Gate, it is easy to treat; if it exceeds the Mao Gate, it is difficult to treat; if it exceeds the Chen Gate, it is even more difficult to treat. If a single vein line penetrates directly from the Yin Gate to the Chen Gate, death is certain. A blue-green color indicates Wind, purple indicates diarrhea/dysentery, blue-green mixed indicates Liver Wood overacting on Spleen Earth, and red indicates Heat. Combined with the lips, tongue, and facial complexion, one can grasp the general situation. After the age of three, a pulse rate of 4-5 beats per breath cycle is normal (Ping Mai), 6-7 beats indicate Cold, 9-10 beats indicate a critical/struggling pulse (Kun Mai), wiry and rapid indicates Disharmony of Qi, deep and slow indicates Food Stagnation, hurried and rapid indicates Deficiency Startle, floating indicates Wind, deep and fine indicates Cold, and a chaotic pulse indicates untreatability.