The paper examines the meaning of transitional objects and attachment to significant others in 18 severely retarded children (mean age 5.2 years). Five case studies illustrate that the use of objects and attachments can be seen as a normal phenomenon and that often the children are responding appropriately to emotional events with behaviors near or above their mental age. It is suggested that emotional development should be evaluated as a separate entity rather than an inevitable and pathological accompaniment to intellectual deficits. (PHR)