My two cents here...

I'm a psych major, and being in the lifestyle, I tend to read up on everything I can find on the psych aspects.

As far as the childhood bit goes, there have been many studies over the years on the ideas and causes of fetishes. They have found that most (if not all) fetishes form before school age. They come from memories and fixations that most people can't remember in adult life. However, your subconscious remembers. A typical example is of a child who plays with his mothers shoes. Gathering them into piles and playing games with his mother matching colors with shoes. Can (not saying it will) lead to an adult hoot shoe fetish.

That is an example, not saying it WILL happen that way. A fetish is generally something that is comforting in some way due to a childhood memory that is usually inaccessible with your adult mind.

Again, just my two cents.