戴氏论五软证，名曰胎怯。良由父精不足，母血素衰而得，诚哉是言。以愚推之，有
因母血海久冷，用药强补而孕者，有受胎而母多疾者，或其父好色贪酒，气体虚弱，或
年事已迈，而后见子，有日月不足而生者，或服堕胎之剂不去，而竟成孕者徒尔耗伤真气，
苟或有生，譬诸阴地浅土之草，虽有发生，而畅茂者少，又如培植树木，动摇其根，而成
者鲜矣。由是论之，婴孩怯弱，不耐寒暑，纵使成人，亦多有疾。爰自降生之后，精髓不
充，筋骨痿弱，肌肉虚瘦，神色昏慢，才为六淫所侵，便致头项手足身软，是名五炊。治
法用调元散补肾，地黄丸渐次调养，日久乃安。若投药不效，亦为废人。有小儿体肥容
壮，不为瘦瘁，忽然项软倾倒，此名下窜，皆因肝肾气虚，客邪侵袭风府，传于筋骨，故
成斯疾。盖肝主乎筋，肾主乎骨，筋骨俱弱，则项软垂下无力又名天柱倒。与五软相类不
远，治同前药。有解颅一证，其囟缝不合，此肾气不足。肾主骨而脑为髓海，肾气不足则
脑髓不满，故不合也，名曰解颅。凡得此候，不及千日之内，间有数岁者，偶因他疾攻激，
遂成废人。若气色精明，能饮食者，多服调元散、补肾地黄丸，旬月内颇见效者，次第
调理，或有可治。若投药后如故，亦难疗矣。世言囟肿皆以为热，殊不知有阴阳二证，切
宜详辨，坚硬为阴，红软为阳，故《婴孩宝书》云∶寒气上冲则牢 （音报），热气上冲则柔
软。正此之谓。若阴证，以匀气散、理中汤主之，阳证，用玉露饮、当归散、防风汤为
治。有囟陷者，虚之极也。胃气虚寒则囟陷，慢惊中有之。胃寒脾困吐泻者为虚极，急以
金液丹、固真汤及诸救元等药治之，外则贴以乌附膏。有后枕陷者，其证尤重，治法以
囟陷药同，不效亦为难疗，此大虚极，百无一活耳。
戴氏论述“五软”证候，将其命名为“胎怯”。这确实是由于父亲精气不足、母亲血液素来衰弱所致，这话真是说对了。依我推究，有的因为母亲血海长久寒冷，用药强行进补后怀孕；有的在受孕时母亲多病；或者父亲好色贪酒，体质虚弱，或者年事已高才得子；有的早产出生；有的服用堕胎药未遂而竟成孕。这些情况徒然耗伤真气，如果侥幸存活，就像阴冷之地浅土中的草，虽然能发芽生长，但茂盛者很少；又如同培植树木，动摇了树根，能成活者极少。由此而论，婴儿怯弱，不耐寒暑，即使长大成人，也多有疾病。自从降生之后，精髓不充盈，筋骨痿弱，肌肉虚瘦，神色昏沉迟钝，一旦受到六淫（风、寒、暑、湿、燥、火六种外感病邪）侵袭，就会导致头项、手足、身体软弱无力，这就是所谓的“五软”（注：原文误作“五炊”，实为五软）。治疗方法用调元散补肾，地黄丸逐渐调养，日久才能安宁。如果投药无效，也会成为废人。
有的小儿身体肥壮，并不消瘦，忽然项部软弱倾倒，这叫做“下窜”。这都是因为肝肾气虚，客邪侵袭风府穴，传于筋骨，所以形成这种疾病。肝主管筋，肾主管骨，筋骨都虚弱，就会项部软弱垂下无力，又名“天柱倒”。这与五软相类，不远，治疗方法与前面相同。
有“解颅”一证，其囟门缝不合，这是肾气不足。肾主骨，脑为髓海，肾气不足则脑髓不满，所以囟门不合，名叫解颅。凡是得到这个证候的，不到一千天之内死亡，间或有活到数岁的，偶然因其他疾病攻激，于是成为废人。如果气色精明，能饮食的，多服调元散、补肾地黄丸，旬月内颇见效的，次第调理，或许可以治愈。如果投药后依然如故，也难以治疗了。世人说囟门肿胀都认为是有热，殊不知有阴阳两种证候，切详辨别，坚硬的是阴证，红软的是阳证，所以《婴孩宝书》说：“寒气上冲则牢坚（音报），热气上冲则柔软。”正是说的这个意思。如果是阴证，用匀气散、理中汤主治；阳证，用玉露饮、当归散、防风汤治疗。
有囟门凹陷的，是极度虚弱。胃气虚寒则囟门凹陷，慢惊风中可见此症。胃寒脾困导致吐泻的为虚极，急以金液丹、固真汤及诸救元等药治疗，外用贴乌附膏。有后枕部凹陷的，证候尤其严重，治疗方法与囟门凹陷的药相同，无效也难以治疗，这是大虚极，百无一活罢了。
Dai discussed the syndrome of "Five Softnesses" (Wu Ruan), naming it "Fetal Frailty" (Tai Qie). This is indeed due to insufficiency of the father's essence and chronic deficiency of the mother's blood, a statement that is truly accurate. From my deduction, some cases arise because the mother's Sea of Blood (Xue Hai) has been cold for a long time, and pregnancy was achieved by forcibly using tonifying medicines; some occur when the mother was frequently ill at conception; or the father indulged in lust and alcohol, resulting in weak constitution, or the father was advanced in age when the child was conceived; some are born prematurely; some result from failed attempts to induce abortion with abortifacient drugs, yet pregnancy persists. These situations vainly consume the True Qi (Zhen Qi). If survival occurs by chance, it is like grass growing in shallow soil on shady ground: although it sprouts, few grow lush. It is also like cultivating trees but disturbing their roots, making successful growth rare. Therefore, infants are frail and cannot withstand cold or heat; even if they reach adulthood, they often suffer from diseases. After birth, the marrow and essence are not filled, the sinews and bones are flaccid and weak, muscles are emaciated, and the spirit and complexion are dull and slow. Once invaded by the Six Excesses (Liu Yin, i.e., Wind, Cold, Summer-heat, Dampness, Dryness, Fire), it leads to softness of the head, neck, hands, feet, and body, known as the "Five Softnesses." The treatment method involves using Tiaoyuan San to tonify the Kidney, and Dihuang Wan for gradual conditioning, bringing peace only after a long period. If medication proves ineffective, the child may become disabled.
Some children appear robust and plump, not emaciated, yet suddenly exhibit floppiness of the neck, termed "Descending Prostration" (Xia Cuan). This is all due to deficiency of Liver and Kidney Qi, where pathogenic factors invade the Fengfu acupoint and transmit to the sinews and bones, causing this disease. The Liver governs the sinews, and the Kidney governs the bones. When both sinews and bones are weak, the neck becomes floppy and hangs down without strength, also called "Tian Zhu Dao" (Collapse of the Heavenly Pillar). This is similar to the Five Softnesses, and the treatment is the same as mentioned above.
There is a condition called "Jie Lu" (Splitting Skull), characterized by the failure of the fontanelle sutures to close, caused by insufficient Kidney Qi. The Kidney governs bones, and the brain is the Sea of Marrow. Insufficient Kidney Qi results in an incomplete filling of the brain marrow, hence the unclosed sutures. For those suffering from this condition, death usually occurs within a thousand days, though occasionally some survive for several years. Occasionally, due to attack by other diseases, they become disabled. If the complexion is bright and clear, and the child can eat and drink, frequent administration of Tiaoyuan San and Bushen Dihuang Wan may show considerable effect within ten days to a month; with sequential conditioning, there might be a chance of cure. However, if the condition remains unchanged after medication, it is difficult to treat.
The world generally believes that swelling of the fontanelle indicates Heat, not realizing there are two syndromes: Yin and Yang. Careful differentiation is essential. Hardness indicates Yin, while redness and softness indicate Yang. Thus, the *Ying'er Bao Shu* states: "When Cold Qi rushes upward, it becomes firm and hard; when Hot Qi rushes upward, it becomes soft." This refers precisely to this situation. For Yin syndromes, Yunqi San and Lizhong Tang are used as primary treatments. For Yang syndromes, Yulu Yin, Danggui San, and Fangfeng Tang are employed.
Cases of sunken fontanelles indicate extreme deficiency. Deficiency and Cold of Stomach Qi cause the fontanelle to sink, which can be seen in Slow Convulsion (Man Jing). Vomiting and diarrhea caused by Stomach Cold and Spleen stagnation represent extreme deficiency; urgent treatment with Jinye Dan, Guzhen Tang, and various Yuan-rescuing medicines is required, applied externally with Wufu Gao. A depression at the back of the occiput indicates an even more severe condition. The treatment method is the same as for sunken fontanelles; if ineffective, it is also difficult to treat, representing extreme deficiency with almost no hope of survival.