International Journal of Audiology 2015; 54: 289–290
Obituary
Marion Downs: Her life and legacy (1914–2014)
Marion Downs is widely acknowledged as the foremost advocate for children with hearing loss and she is widely credited for the establishment of national newborn hearing screening programs. During a remarkable career of more than five decades, Dr. Downs was a relentless crusader for the importance of early identification of hearing loss and the need to begin early interventions for babies with hearing deficits to help them with speech, language, and educational development. Unfortunately, we lost this bright leading light when Dr. Downs passed away quietly, after reaching the remarkable age of 100 years, on November 13, 2014. As a person who really made a difference, Dr. Down’s story and contributions deserve to be widely remembered. Literally thousands of persons worldwide, including health and education professionals, families and persons with hearing loss will be forever indebted to her insight and clinical contributions. Dr. Downs held the title of Distinguished Professor Emerita at the University of Colorado School Of Medicine where she served for nearly 40 years to provide hearing services to patients of all ages. Throughout these years she was deeply committed to helping those handicapped by hearing loss to lead fulfilling lives—as well as educating professionals, teachers, and families to understand and provide for the special needs of individuals with hearing impairments. Growing up in New Ulm, Minnesota, Marion likely had no idea where her extraordinary life was headed. How fortunate when she dashed over to the University of Denver during the summer of 1950 to enroll in graduate studies—as a mother with three teenage children—forgoing the longer registration lines for pre-law, political science, and psychology to choose the shorter registration line at speech pathology and audiology. The field of audiology was still in its beginnings as a new profession, and Marion turned out to be very influential in shaping its future directions during the next five decades. Upon her passing last year, condolences arrived from around the world, reflecting the magnitude of her impact on so many.
She was an extraordinary woman and it is unlikely that we will ever have another like her in our profession. As time passes, she will be remembered for her world-wide impact and the opportunities she created for all audiologists. Above all, she was a great spokesperson to advocate better hearing for all age groups. Working at the University of Denver in the 1950s alongside the noted oral deaf educator, Doreen Pollack, Marion recognized the paucity of information concerning the identification, evaluation, and management of hearing loss in infants and young children. In those early days, it was likely that a child with hearing loss would not be identified until age three or four when parents would realize that their child was not developing speaking skills. In those early days, the prevailing clinical protocol was that two years of age was the youngest age that one could start with hearing aids and auditory training. Already working with children younger than two years of age, Dr. Downs was devastated when during a conference, the Father of Audiology, Dr. Raymond Carhart, told her, “…no baby should be fit with hearing aids before the age of two because the baby’s unmyelinated neurons would be irrevocably harmed with the introduction of loud sound.” Fortunately, Marion discussed her concerns about Dr. Carhart’s viewpoint with Dr. Hallowell Davis who sided with her and encouraged her to continue her work to prove that the earlier the diagnosis of hearing loss is made, the better chance for the child to achieve improved outcomes. Dr. Downs pioneered the first large scale infant hearing screening program screening in 1963. From that cornerstone research effort, Marion spent the next 30 years in relentless pursuit to make early identification of hearing loss in infants an important medical and educational priority. But bringing infant hearing screening to the forefront was no easy task. Marion faced significant opposition because infant hearing screening was not acceptable to most pediatricians and otolaryngologists. Undaunted by the opposition, however, Marion continued her campaign for the importance of early identification and early intervention based on her strong belief in the existence of a ‘critical age period’ for developing language very early in life. Dr. Down’s success in bringing the importance of early hearing loss detection and intervention to health policy agencies resulted in our current U.S. national program making newborn hearing screening a reality in every state and territory, and duplicated in several international countries. These state-based Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs provide a system of services which assures that every child born with a permanent hearing loss is diagnosed before three months of age and provided with appropriate intervention before six months of age. But even more impressive is that fact that annually, with nearly 4 000 000 babies born in the
ISSN 1499-2027 print/ISSN 1708-8186 online © 2015 British Society of Audiology, International Society of Audiology, and Nordic Audiological Society DOI: 10.3109/14992027.2015.1015690
290
J. L. Northern
US, an amazing 98% of them are screened for hearing loss prior to discharge from their birthing hospital. Review of Marion’s extensive curriculum vita reveals her broad scope of interest beyond infant hearing screening through her publications focused on hearing loss in schizophrenia, geri-audiology, perceptual recognition in noise, high frequency audiometry, the deafness management quotient, hearing loss in Down syndrome, in children with cleft palate, sequelae of early and recurrent otitis media, effects of mild hearing loss on central auditory processing, psychosocial issues for children with cochlear implants. Many of these new ideas spawned numerous research projects from others, culminating in an increased awareness of the broad effects of hearing loss. In addition, Marion, as a prolific writer, co-authored six editions of Hearing in Children beginning in 19741, and co-edited with Ross Roeser, four editions of Auditory Disorders in School Children from 19812. Changing writing themes in 2007, she penned a book aimed at seniors entitled Shut Up and Live! (You Know How): A 93-YearOld’s Guide to Living to a Ripe Old Age3, wherein she advises readers to “…laugh, exercise, love and enjoy sex, rebel against your aches and pains, and live out your passions.” She described herself as, “….the luckiest woman in the world” who survived a commercial airliner crash, a close call with a Vietnamese terrorist who tossed an explosive into a jeep coming to pick her up in Saigon, even bouncing back anew following the surgical removal of a brain tumor at the age of 84. Marion was an avid exercise enthusiast, jogging daily well into her sixties, skiing in her 70s, swimming in a mini-triathlon at age 89, and she won five gold medals for tennis in the National Senior Games. Perhaps her greatest victory, however, was her success as a woman with a master’s degree, working successfully in a competitive medical school environment run by male physician authorities, ultimately earning a full professorship in a surgical specialty department—an amazing accomplishment in her day. Dr. Downs was honored by nearly every professional hearingrelated organization with an array of awards recognizing her numerous contributions. Among her many honors are: the Outstanding Achievement Award from her alma mater, the University of Minnesota, and Gold Medal Recognition from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She is the recipient of three Honorary Doctorate Degrees. Dr. Downs was awarded the Medal of the
Ministry of Health of South Vietnam and holds recognition awards from more than 20 international countries and governments. She was a co-founder of the American Auditory Society, the International Audiology Society, and the Colorado Hearing Foundation. She was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame in 2006 and received the Secretary’s Highest Recognition Award in 2007 from the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Marion’s quest for living life to its fullest was nothing short of contagious. She often said, “I have always felt that there was something wonderful about to happen, just around the corner, and it always did. That’s been a really great thing, to have that innate euphoria. It can conquer just about anything that comes up!” With such a positive outlook, it can be seen that this remarkable woman proves that the Power of One—coupled with tenacity and perseverance, tempered with patience and charm—can absolutely move a mountain. The many accomplishments of Dr. Marion Downs will serve to inspire, influence, and encourage others for years to come. Every baby and child tested for hearing will bear her imprint. There is no question that she has made a difference for countless children, families, and professionals. Marion Downs’ legacy and impact will forever live in pediatric audiology. Jerry L. Northern Professor Emeritus, University of Colorado School of Medicine, President, Colorado Hearing Foundation, Denver, USA Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.
References Northern J.L. & Downs M.P. 2014. Hearing in Children (6th edition). San Diego: Plural Publishing, Inc., pp. 385–405. Roeser R.J. & Downs M.P. 2004. Auditory Disorders in School Children: The Law, Identification, Remediation (4th edition). New York: Thieme, Inc. Downs M.P. Shut Up and Live! (You Know How): A 93-Year-Old’s Guide to Living to a Ripe Old Age. 2007. New York: Penguin Group.
Copyright of International Journal of Audiology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
Obituary
Marion Downs: Her life and legacy (1914–2014)
Marion Downs is widely acknowledged as the foremost advocate for children with hearing loss and she is widely credited for the establishment of national newborn hearing screening programs. During a remarkable career of more than five decades, Dr. Downs was a relentless crusader for the importance of early identification of hearing loss and the need to begin early interventions for babies with hearing deficits to help them with speech, language, and educational development. Unfortunately, we lost this bright leading light when Dr. Downs passed away quietly, after reaching the remarkable age of 100 years, on November 13, 2014. As a person who really made a difference, Dr. Down’s story and contributions deserve to be widely remembered. Literally thousands of persons worldwide, including health and education professionals, families and persons with hearing loss will be forever indebted to her insight and clinical contributions. Dr. Downs held the title of Distinguished Professor Emerita at the University of Colorado School Of Medicine where she served for nearly 40 years to provide hearing services to patients of all ages. Throughout these years she was deeply committed to helping those handicapped by hearing loss to lead fulfilling lives—as well as educating professionals, teachers, and families to understand and provide for the special needs of individuals with hearing impairments. Growing up in New Ulm, Minnesota, Marion likely had no idea where her extraordinary life was headed. How fortunate when she dashed over to the University of Denver during the summer of 1950 to enroll in graduate studies—as a mother with three teenage children—forgoing the longer registration lines for pre-law, political science, and psychology to choose the shorter registration line at speech pathology and audiology. The field of audiology was still in its beginnings as a new profession, and Marion turned out to be very influential in shaping its future directions during the next five decades. Upon her passing last year, condolences arrived from around the world, reflecting the magnitude of her impact on so many.
She was an extraordinary woman and it is unlikely that we will ever have another like her in our profession. As time passes, she will be remembered for her world-wide impact and the opportunities she created for all audiologists. Above all, she was a great spokesperson to advocate better hearing for all age groups. Working at the University of Denver in the 1950s alongside the noted oral deaf educator, Doreen Pollack, Marion recognized the paucity of information concerning the identification, evaluation, and management of hearing loss in infants and young children. In those early days, it was likely that a child with hearing loss would not be identified until age three or four when parents would realize that their child was not developing speaking skills. In those early days, the prevailing clinical protocol was that two years of age was the youngest age that one could start with hearing aids and auditory training. Already working with children younger than two years of age, Dr. Downs was devastated when during a conference, the Father of Audiology, Dr. Raymond Carhart, told her, “…no baby should be fit with hearing aids before the age of two because the baby’s unmyelinated neurons would be irrevocably harmed with the introduction of loud sound.” Fortunately, Marion discussed her concerns about Dr. Carhart’s viewpoint with Dr. Hallowell Davis who sided with her and encouraged her to continue her work to prove that the earlier the diagnosis of hearing loss is made, the better chance for the child to achieve improved outcomes. Dr. Downs pioneered the first large scale infant hearing screening program screening in 1963. From that cornerstone research effort, Marion spent the next 30 years in relentless pursuit to make early identification of hearing loss in infants an important medical and educational priority. But bringing infant hearing screening to the forefront was no easy task. Marion faced significant opposition because infant hearing screening was not acceptable to most pediatricians and otolaryngologists. Undaunted by the opposition, however, Marion continued her campaign for the importance of early identification and early intervention based on her strong belief in the existence of a ‘critical age period’ for developing language very early in life. Dr. Down’s success in bringing the importance of early hearing loss detection and intervention to health policy agencies resulted in our current U.S. national program making newborn hearing screening a reality in every state and territory, and duplicated in several international countries. These state-based Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs provide a system of services which assures that every child born with a permanent hearing loss is diagnosed before three months of age and provided with appropriate intervention before six months of age. But even more impressive is that fact that annually, with nearly 4 000 000 babies born in the
ISSN 1499-2027 print/ISSN 1708-8186 online © 2015 British Society of Audiology, International Society of Audiology, and Nordic Audiological Society DOI: 10.3109/14992027.2015.1015690
290
J. L. Northern
US, an amazing 98% of them are screened for hearing loss prior to discharge from their birthing hospital. Review of Marion’s extensive curriculum vita reveals her broad scope of interest beyond infant hearing screening through her publications focused on hearing loss in schizophrenia, geri-audiology, perceptual recognition in noise, high frequency audiometry, the deafness management quotient, hearing loss in Down syndrome, in children with cleft palate, sequelae of early and recurrent otitis media, effects of mild hearing loss on central auditory processing, psychosocial issues for children with cochlear implants. Many of these new ideas spawned numerous research projects from others, culminating in an increased awareness of the broad effects of hearing loss. In addition, Marion, as a prolific writer, co-authored six editions of Hearing in Children beginning in 19741, and co-edited with Ross Roeser, four editions of Auditory Disorders in School Children from 19812. Changing writing themes in 2007, she penned a book aimed at seniors entitled Shut Up and Live! (You Know How): A 93-YearOld’s Guide to Living to a Ripe Old Age3, wherein she advises readers to “…laugh, exercise, love and enjoy sex, rebel against your aches and pains, and live out your passions.” She described herself as, “….the luckiest woman in the world” who survived a commercial airliner crash, a close call with a Vietnamese terrorist who tossed an explosive into a jeep coming to pick her up in Saigon, even bouncing back anew following the surgical removal of a brain tumor at the age of 84. Marion was an avid exercise enthusiast, jogging daily well into her sixties, skiing in her 70s, swimming in a mini-triathlon at age 89, and she won five gold medals for tennis in the National Senior Games. Perhaps her greatest victory, however, was her success as a woman with a master’s degree, working successfully in a competitive medical school environment run by male physician authorities, ultimately earning a full professorship in a surgical specialty department—an amazing accomplishment in her day. Dr. Downs was honored by nearly every professional hearingrelated organization with an array of awards recognizing her numerous contributions. Among her many honors are: the Outstanding Achievement Award from her alma mater, the University of Minnesota, and Gold Medal Recognition from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She is the recipient of three Honorary Doctorate Degrees. Dr. Downs was awarded the Medal of the
Ministry of Health of South Vietnam and holds recognition awards from more than 20 international countries and governments. She was a co-founder of the American Auditory Society, the International Audiology Society, and the Colorado Hearing Foundation. She was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame in 2006 and received the Secretary’s Highest Recognition Award in 2007 from the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Marion’s quest for living life to its fullest was nothing short of contagious. She often said, “I have always felt that there was something wonderful about to happen, just around the corner, and it always did. That’s been a really great thing, to have that innate euphoria. It can conquer just about anything that comes up!” With such a positive outlook, it can be seen that this remarkable woman proves that the Power of One—coupled with tenacity and perseverance, tempered with patience and charm—can absolutely move a mountain. The many accomplishments of Dr. Marion Downs will serve to inspire, influence, and encourage others for years to come. Every baby and child tested for hearing will bear her imprint. There is no question that she has made a difference for countless children, families, and professionals. Marion Downs’ legacy and impact will forever live in pediatric audiology. Jerry L. Northern Professor Emeritus, University of Colorado School of Medicine, President, Colorado Hearing Foundation, Denver, USA Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.
References Northern J.L. & Downs M.P. 2014. Hearing in Children (6th edition). San Diego: Plural Publishing, Inc., pp. 385–405. Roeser R.J. & Downs M.P. 2004. Auditory Disorders in School Children: The Law, Identification, Remediation (4th edition). New York: Thieme, Inc. Downs M.P. Shut Up and Live! (You Know How): A 93-Year-Old’s Guide to Living to a Ripe Old Age. 2007. New York: Penguin Group.
Copyright of International Journal of Audiology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
