假如病大而汤剂小，则邪气少屈而药力已乏，欲不复治，其可得乎？犹以一杯水救一车薪火，竟不得灭，
是谓不及。若症小而汤剂大，则邪气已尽而药力有余，欲不伤正，其可得乎？犹火炽昆岗，玉石俱焚，是谓
太过。三者之论，惟中而已，过与不及，皆为偏废，然而太过尤甚于不及。盖失于姑息，邪复胜正者，只是
劳而无益，犹可勉而适中；或失苛暴，则正气被伤，因而羸瘠者有之，危殆者有之，此所谓尤甚也，
可不戒哉！尝考仲景于承气条下则曰∶若更衣，止后服。于桂枝方下则曰∶微汗 乃佳，不可令如水淋
漓。其旨深矣！
小儿脉当以大指按三部，一息六七至为平和，十至为发热，五至为内寒，紧为风痫，沉缓为伤食，促
急为虚惊，弦急为气不和，沉细为冷，浮为风，大小不匀为恶候、为鬼祟，浮大数为风、为热，伏结为物
聚，单细为疳劳。凡腹痛、喘、呕而脉浮者，为有虫；浮而迟潮热者，胃寒也，温之则愈。
歌曰∶小儿脉紧风痫候，沉缓食伤多吐呕，弦急因知气不和，急促虚惊神不守，冷则沉细风则浮，牢
实大便因秘久，腹痛之候紧而弦，脉乱不治安可救？变蒸之时脉必变，不治自然无过谬。单细疳劳洪有虫，
大小不均为恶候，脉浮而迟有潮热，此必内寒求内寇。泻利浮大不可医，仔细酌量宜审究。
小儿未可辨脉者，俗医多看虎口中纹颜色，与四
肢冷热验之，亦有可取。
歌曰∶紫风红伤寒，青惊白色疳，黑时因中恶，黄则困脾端。鼻冷定知是疮疹，耳冷因知风热症，
遍身皆热是伤寒，上热下冷伤食病。人若以此色、脉参佐验之，所得亦过半矣！
小儿病多是食积、痰热、伤乳，大抵肝与脾病多。又云∶小儿多肝病，大人亦然。肝只是有余，肾常是
不足。
假如病情严重而药力微弱，那么邪气只是稍微退却，但药力已经耗尽，想要不再治疗，这怎么可能呢？这就好像用一杯水去救一车柴草燃烧的大火，最终无法扑灭，这叫做“不及”（药力不足）。如果病情轻微而药力过大，那么邪气已经清除，但药力有余，想要不损伤人体正气，这怎么可能呢？这就好比昆岗山大火炽盛，美玉和石头一起被烧毁，这叫做“太过”（药力过猛）。这三种论述中，只有适中才是正确的，过度和不足都属于偏颇，然而太过比不及更为严重。因为失于姑息（用药过轻），导致邪气再次战胜正气的情况，只是徒劳无功，还可以努力调整到适中；但如果失于苛暴（用药过重），则正气受到损伤，由此导致身体瘦弱消瘦的有之，处于危险境地甚至危及生命的也有之，这就是所说的更为严重的情况，怎能不警惕呢！曾经考察张仲景在承气汤条下说：“如果大便通畅，就停止服用后面的药。”在桂枝汤方下说：“微微出汗才好，不可让汗出得像水流淋漓一样。”其中的旨意深远啊！
小儿的脉象应当用大人的大拇指按压寸、关、尺三部，一呼一吸间脉搏跳动六七次为平和正常，十次为发热，五次为内寒，紧脉为风痫，沉缓脉为伤食，促急脉为虚惊，弦急脉为气机不和，沉细脉为冷证，浮脉为风邪，脉律大小不匀为恶候或受鬼祟（指怪异的病症），浮大数脉为风邪或热邪，伏结脉为积物聚结，单细脉为疳劳。凡是腹痛、气喘、呕吐且脉象浮的，是有虫积；脉象浮而迟并伴有潮热的，是胃寒，温补即可痊愈。
歌诀说：小儿脉紧是风痫的征候，沉缓脉多为伤食且常伴呕吐，弦急脉可知气机不和，急促脉主虚惊且神志不守，冷证脉象沉细风邪脉象浮，牢实脉主大便因久秘所致，腹痛的征候脉紧而弦，脉象紊乱不安难以救治？变蒸时期脉象必然变化，不治也能自然无过错。单细脉主疳劳洪大脉主有虫，脉象大小不均属恶候，脉浮而迟伴有潮热，这必定是内寒需寻找体内的病邪。泻利见浮大脉象不可医治，仔细斟酌衡量应当审慎研究。
对于还无法辨别脉象的小儿，世俗医生多观察虎口处纹路的颜色，并结合四肢冷热来验证，这也是可取的。
歌诀说：紫色主风，红色主伤寒，青色主惊，白色主疳，黑色是因中恶，黄色则是脾困。鼻头寒冷定知是疮疹，耳朵寒冷因知是风热症，全身皆热是伤寒，上热下冷是伤食病。人们如果用这些色泽、脉象相互参照验证，所得的结果也超过一半了！
小儿的疾病多是食积、痰热、伤乳，大体上是肝与脾的病多。又说：小儿多肝病，大人也是如此。肝只是有余（实证），肾常是不足（虚证）。
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.