diff --git a/reference/simplexml/simplexmlelement/addChild.xml b/reference/simplexml/simplexmlelement/addChild.xml
index 222c4ba0684a..3fd8f0c0a4f4 100644
--- a/reference/simplexml/simplexmlelement/addChild.xml
+++ b/reference/simplexml/simplexmlelement/addChild.xml
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@
       <para>
        If specified, the value of the child element.
       </para>
+      <para>
+       Special characters <literal>&lt;</literal> and <literal>&gt;</literal> get escaped
+       automatically, <literal>&amp;</literal> must be escaped manually.
+      </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>
     <varlistentry>