Abstract: Functional constipation (FC) is a common gastrointestinal disease in children.The global prevalence of functional constipation in children is about 0.5% to 32.2%,which seriously affects the quality of life of children.Wan Quan is a famous pediatric doctor in ancient China,who innovatively put forward the idea of "spleen insufficiency" in children,and paid attention to regulating the spleen and stomach,which has an important guiding role in the diagnosis and treatment of modern pediatric diseases.Wan Quan put forward the general principle of the treatment for pediatric constipation in "Infant Family Secrets:Volume Ⅳ:Urination and Defecation Diseases":"The stool induration should be attacked,but sometimes is attacking method useless in spite of the condition".Based on Wan Quan′s theory of "spleen insufficiency",and "The stool induration should be attacked,but sometimes attacking method is useless in spite of the condition",and combined with modern research progress,it is proposed that the causes of FC in children are mostly attributed to dryness-heat accumulation,stagnation of milk and food,spleen deficiency leading to transportation failure,qi stagnation,and blood deficiency resulting in intestinal dryness.Spleen deficiency leading to food injury is considered to be the key pathogenesis;therefore,it is recommended that the treatment for FC in children should differentiate deficiency from excess,and carry out the principle of activating spleen to assist the transportation throughout the treatment process.This study explores the differentiation and treatment strategies for FC in children from the aspects of acute purgation,digestion and elimination of accumulated stagnation,slow purgation,regulating qi,and moistening dryness,etc.,in order to provide a reference for the clinical diagnosis,treatment,and care of FC in children.

Key words:

Functional constipation, Spleen insufficiency, Spleen deficiency leading to food injury