Comfort object
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A comfort object is an item used to provide psychological comfort, especially in unusual or unique situations, or at bedtime for small children. Though many toddlers prefer a teddy bear or doll,[citation needed] a stuffed toy, a favorite blanket, a toy such as a dump truck, or even a cell phone could be a comfort object at some stages. The notion is that the familiarity of such an object will help the child feel better, go to sleep faster, or feel less stress in a new situation.[citation needed]
Comfort objects are very common among toddlers and preschool aged children.[1] While some give them up soon after entering school, the age at which one no longer needs a comfort object varies, as does the time one might need one. Teenagers may continue to sleep with comfort objects nearby.[citation needed]
Adults also use comfort objects. For example, elderly people in nursing homes are comforted byr being given a stuffed bear or doll.[2] It is theorized that this reminds them of the more serene moments of childhood.[citation needed]
The need for serenity in troubled time is why stuffed animals may be given by EMS workers, police, and others to victims of disasters such as fires and crime.[citation needed]
Closely related to the concept of a comfort object is a security blanket, a term made famous by Charles Schulz in his comic strip Peanuts, in which the character Linus was almost always seen with his blanket in hand.
