Dysphagia is a medical term for trouble swallowing. Your child may have problems swallowing certain foods or liquids, or can’t swallow at all. Other signs of dysphagia are coughing or choking when eating and drinking. When food or liquids can’t pass easily from your child’s mouth into the throat, down the esophagus, and into the stomach when swallowing they can bring food back up, sometimes through the nose.