Final answer:
Hypernasality may indicate a neurological disorder or result from a congenital disorder like a cleft palate. It can also be due to surgical changes to the anatomy and physiology of the resonance system integral for speech.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hypernasality can be an early sign of a neurological disorder, or it can be the result of a congenital disorder such as a cleft palate or submucous cleft of the velum. It can also result from a surgical treatment that disturbs the anatomy and physiology of the resonance system. Cleft palate, a severe developmental defect, affects the hard palate and results from a failure of the two halves of the hard palate to completely come together and fuse at the midline, causing a gap that allows communication between the nasal and oral cavities and can make it difficult for an infant to generate the necessary suckling for nursing. The throat and mouth form a resonant cavity that adapts to produce speech, but certain conditions or interventions may alter these resonant characteristics.