Which of the following may indicate difficulties in swallowing?

The signs of difficulties in swallowing, also known as dysphagia, can manifest in multiple ways, and drooling and coughing are primary indicators. When a person has trouble swallowing, food or liquid may not pass smoothly from the mouth to the throat and may even enter the airway, leading to coughing as a reflex action to clear the airway. Drooling can occur when an individual cannot manage saliva effectively due to muscle weakness or coordination issues, which is also a common problem associated with swallowing difficulties.

While discomfort while eating and changes in appetite can also be related to swallowing problems, they may represent broader or less direct correlations. Discomfort might indicate a lack of coordination or pain while swallowing but does not specifically highlight the act of swallowing itself. Changes in appetite can arise from numerous other factors such as taste changes, emotional states, or other medical conditions, making them less definitive as indicators of swallowing issues compared to drooling and coughing.

As a result, the emphasis on drooling and coughing as direct signs of dysphagia makes this choice the most accurate representation of difficulties in swallowing, leading it to be seen as the best answer in this context.