The term "five kinds of flaccidity" refers to symptoms such as the loss of normal development in the head, neck, mouth, hands, feet, and muscles, leading to weakness and flaccidity. It is commonly referred to as "flaccid paralysis"; in the "Ancient and Modern Medical Compendium," it is also known as "fetal feebleness."

Before the Song Dynasty, this condition was often discussed alongside delayed development. The "Hundred Questions on Infants and Children" was the first to name the five kinds of flaccidity as head flaccidity, neck flaccidity, hand flaccidity, foot flaccidity, and muscle flaccidity. Subsequently, head flaccidity and neck flaccidity were generally combined and referred to as "head and neck flaccidity," while mouth flaccidity was also included as one of the five kinds of flaccidity. Additionally, hand flaccidity and foot flaccidity were sometimes combined and referred to as "hand and foot flaccidity," with body flaccidity being listed as one of the five kinds of flaccidity. Since the symptoms of the five kinds of flaccidity often occur together, they are collectively referred to as "weakness syndrome" or "flaccidity syndrome."

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1. Liver and Kidney Deficiency︰After birth, the child gradually exhibits weakness and tilting of the head and neck, leaning unsteadily, general debility, flaccid feet, inability to stand, along with soft mouth and thin lips, inability to chew, constant drooling, limp hands hanging down, inability to grasp or lift, loose muscles, lack of strength in movement, pale lips with scant coating, deep and thin pulse with weak chi pulse, and faint finger veins. It is caused by insufficient congenital fetal endowment. Possible reasons include: the mother’s weak blood and qi during pregnancy; the mother’s prolonged cold Blood Sea, forcibly supplemented with medication to conceive; the mother suffering from many illnesses during pregnancy; or the parents’ excessive indulgence in alcohol and sex, leading to weakened original qi; or conceiving at an advanced age; or taking early abortion drugs that failed to terminate the pregnancy, resulting in a viable fetus; or premature labor. All the above factors can deplete fetal vitality, weaken the sinews and bones, and cause flaccidity of the head, neck, hands, feet, mouth, and fleshy flaccidity of the muscles. The main symptoms are particularly the inability to support the neck and the inability to stand due to weak feet. The mechanism of disease should be attributed to the liver and kidneys, as the liver governs the sinews and the kidneys govern the bones—insufficiency of the liver and kidneys leads to weak sinews and bones. Additionally, the neck is traversed by the Governor Vessel and the foot taiyang Jingmai. Emptiness of the Governor Vessel, insufficient marrow, and malnourishment of the bladder Jingmai result in weak and misaligned head and neck. Treatment should focus on warming yang and replenishing qi, filling essence and supplementing marrow. Prescriptions include the Kidney-Tonifying Rehmannia Pill or the Great Life-Endowing Pill of Heaven Supplementation.
2. Spleen Qi Deficiency︰After illness in children, there is a gradual appearance of limb weakness, emaciated and timid physique, reduced muscle mass with loose skin, poor appetite and indigestion, failure to gain muscle despite eating, soft hands unable to grasp or lift, tongue protruding with reluctance to speak, mouth open and unable to close, chewing with lack of strength, delayed development; a five-year-old child unable to stand or walk, dull expression, intellectual slowness, complexion shallow yellow, intolerance to cold and heat, as well as weakness in the head and neck, lips with white coating and smooth, deep and weak pulse, faint finger venules. Commonly seen after prolonged vomiting and diarrhea, or infantile malnutrition involving kidney, or chronic convulsion due to spleen disorder; it may also result from improper care, insufficient breastfeeding, or lack of sunlight. The main symptoms include soft hands and feet, soft mouth, and soft muscles. The mechanism of disease should be attributed to the spleen and stomach. The stomach is the sea of water and grains, the source of transformation for the five zang-organs and six fu-organs. When the spleen and stomach are imbalanced, the visceral qi loses its nourishment, and the limbs lack control, hence the hands are soft and reluctant to lift, the feet are soft and difficult to walk, and the muscles are thin with loose skin; when the clear yang qi fails to ascend, the head cannot be raised, and the neck is soft and difficult to hold upright. Moreover, the mouth is the orifice of the spleen, the upper and lower teeth belong to the hand and foot yangming, and the foot taiyin spleen channel ankyloglossia is rooted here, spreading under the tongue. Spleen and stomach deficiency causes the tongue to protrude and not retract, and the mouth to remain soft and unclosed, resulting in five kinds of flaccidity. Treatment should focus on tonifying the middle and replenishing qi, lifting the clear yang, using Middle-Tonifying Qi-Replenishing Decoction, or Fuyuan Powder. Once the spleen and stomach are strengthened, the visceral qi will be nourished, and the symptoms of flaccidity can be addressed.

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1. 《Youke Zhengzhi Zhunsheng．Five Kinds of Flaccidity》: "When the liver is affected by heat and wind, the Tianzhu (Heavenly Pillar) collapses. Only cool medicines should be used to maintain it. The application must be of a hot nature to relax the tendons, and the immediate warming effect should not be doubted. For vomiting, diarrhea, and soft neck, only regulate the qi. In cases of cold-damage disease with a collapsed pillar, no medical treatment is necessary."
2. Youke Tiejing．Tianzhu Gu Dao (Collapse of the Heavenly Pillar Bone): "The collapse of the Tianzhu bone refers to a soft neck. It is caused by the weakness of vital qi and the intrusion of pathogens into the organs, spreading to the tendons and bones, resulting in a soft and drooping neck without strength. The treatment should focus on dispelling wind and dispersing; or for those with chronic diarrhea and long-term illness leading to softness, the treatment should be Six Gentlemen Decoction with the addition of Cassia Bark. For those with soft hands, it is advisable to use Coix Seed, Chinese Angelica, Gentian, Jujube Seed, Saposhnikovia Root, Notopterygium, Schizonepeta, and other ingredients in equal parts. For those with soft feet, the treatment should be Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Decoction with the addition of Achyranthes Root, Acanthopanax Bark, Pilose Antler, and other ingredients in equal parts."